NanoFate Mixx
by Knight of L-sama
Summary: COMPLETE A personal challenge fic in which random songs are thrown in one after another and molded into a single storyline. Taking requests! NanoFate through their beginning to their end... Contains shoujoai, fluff, angst, and sadness, and happiness.
1. Track 01 and 02

A/N: Written as shameless name-advertising for my CCS-MSLN crossover in the CCS section currently in progress ATM

A/N: Written as shameless name-advertising for my CCS-MSLN crossover in the CCS section currently in progress ATM. A short piece on MSLN goodness.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that isn't mine to own.

Note: Songfic done based on whatever song my player pulls up as I type it. Thus, many shorts.

Track 01- Kellie Pickler- My Angel

"Don't forget to write, promise? I won't ask you to call every day, but..."

Vivio smiled and patted her mother on the head. She was finally tall enough to do that, so she did so with relish. "I'm just going off to military training, Mom. I'll be back in a few weeks. You'll hardly miss me."

Nanoha shook her head. "This is the beginning of an independent life for you, Vivio. Standing on your own two feet... I just want you to know that we're very proud of you."

"I know, Mom." Vivio shuffled her feet, embarrassed. She ignored the loud chatter she could hear from her friends who were taking her to the training site, along with her personal items. "Nanoha-mama... I... I love you very, very much. I won't forget you even when work gets really busy, I promise."

Nanoha chuckled. "I'm a retired mage now, Vivio. Do what you think is best; I can take care of myself. And I love you, too. Fate-mama also loves you."

Vivio nodded, silently trying to stall for more time. She didn't want to go yet.

Nanoha whispered, "You'd better get going; your friends are waiting for you."

"Mama... I..." Shaking her head, Vivio simply leaned forward and embraced the older woman.

Surprised but not sorry, Nanoha returned the hug with just as much love if not more.

"Then... I'll be going now."

"Have a safe trip."

Vivio nodded slowly, and then turned and ran off towards the waiting truck. Climbing in, she quickly apologized for the delay, and thanked Caro for leaving her a window seat. After buckling in, she looked out and saw her mother, still watching, waiting to see her disappear into the horizon... Vivio smiled, recollecting everything that her adoptive mother meant to her. Both her mothers. Nanoha-mama... and Fate-mama.

Every day when school got out  
I'd get off the bus and I'd run down  
That old dirt road where you were waiting for me  
On the front porch in that blue swing  
You'd be smiling and we would sing  
'Amazing Grace' and 'Jesus Loves Me'

You were like my mother  
You were my best friend  
You were everything I want to be  
And all the good inside of me  
There's never been  
Never been another  
That loved me like you did  
My grandmother, my angel

Even though I can' touch your face  
I feel you with me every day  
I wish you could see all my dreams comin true  
When I get lost I close my eyes  
And I feel you shinin down so bright  
I feel you shinin down on me

You were like my mother  
You were my best friend  
You were everything I want to be  
And all the good inside of me  
There's never been  
Never been another  
That loved me like you did  
My grandmother, my angel  
My angel

Track 02- James Blunt- Goodbye My Lover

"Hey... Nanoha, don't look up."

Nanoha paused in her laughter and inevitably looked up. She wished she had heeded Hayate's advice, because her heart wrenched and twisted in her chest when she looked up to see Fate coming from the opposite direction... Nanoha forced herself to look away and keep walking. But as she neared, she faltered at the pain she could see so clearly in Fate's eyes. The loneliness she thought had been driven out so long ago. Now... she was the reason it had returned.

_Did I disappoint you or let you down?  
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?  
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,  
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.  
_

But as Fate also tried to walk past her without saying anything, Nanoha impulsively grabbed her arm. "Fate-chan, wait a minute." When Fate looked at her offending hand in open surprise, Nanoha let go quickly. "Ah, sorry."

Fate shook her head. "No, it's all right."

Hayate, who had been walking alongside Nanoha, looked between the two and then made a grab for Teana. "Come on, the cafeteria has a new ice cream flavor. Have you ever tried mint ice cream blended with vanilla and green tea? It's interesting, and not too bad either. Want to go try some with me?"

"Eh? Now?" Teana looked between her two mentors and realized that yes, it had to be now. She let herself be led away. "Ah, I'll meet up with you again soon, Enforcer Fate."

Fate merely nodded, not trusting her voice.

And then, they were alone in the empty hallway.

Nanoha spoke first. "It doesn't have to be like this, does it?"

So she wanted to go that way. Fate turned away. "It hurts, Nanoha. It hurts. You have no idea. I think... I think it would be better if we spent some time apart..."

"I don't want us to stop being friends!" Nanoha cringed at the way Fate winced. Of course, that had been the problem, hadn't it? Fate did want them to stop being just friends. She had wanted more. Nanoha frowned, and then tugged Fate's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Fate, startled by the change in pace, followed as obediently as ever. "Nanoha, what...?"

"Just come on!"

_So I took what's mine by eternal right.  
Took your soul out into the night.  
It may be over but it won't stop there,  
I am here for you if you'd only care.  
_

She watched, breathless, when Nanoha let go after they reached the roof. "Nanoha... I have work to-"

"I love you." Nanoha turned, smiling as she looked straight into Fate's eyes. "You are a very special, precious person to me, Fate-chan and I care a lot about you. I don't want to lose you."

Fate whispered, not daring to meet Nanoha's farseeing gaze, "I wish I didn't have to lose you either." Her hands balled into fists. She could feel her nails threatening to pierce her skin. "You mean so much to me. And I ruined it all."

_You touched my heart you touched my soul.  
You changed my life and all my goals.  
And love is blind and that I knew when,  
My heart was blinded by you.  
_

"You didn't!" Fate was surprised when warm hands wrapped around her own. Nanoha smiled at her. "I can't return Fate-chan's feelings... but that doesn't mean I don't have my own feelings for Fate-chan! We can make this work. You just have to be willing to... to... compromise!"

"Compromise?" Fate felt her sadness churn inside her, fueling her passion as well as her guilt. "I did unforgivable things! I took advantage of you when you were feeling down. I..."

_I've kissed your lips and held your head.  
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.  
I know you well, I know your smell.  
I've been addicted to you.  
_

"Those aren't 'unforgivable' things, and I didn't think of it that way. Fate-chan... there's more to love than romance."

Fate turned away. "I just want to be able to show you how much I love you."

"You don't have to; I already know. I can see it."

"No, I want _other_ people to know. I want you to be able to turn someone else down because I'm the one for you. That's... that's what I think of... when someone confesses to me."

Nanoha sighed. She ran the back of her fingers along Fate's cheek. "I can't stand seeing you like this, but I can't give you what you want either."

"I know." Fate closed her eyes, _willing_ the tears away. It didn't work. "I... I know. And I know I have to get over you, so maybe, one day, we can go back to the way we were."

_Goodbye my lover.  
Goodbye my friend.  
You have been the one.  
You have been the one for me.  
_

"... What can I do to speed up the process?"

Fate shook her head. "I have to do this on my own."

"Will you be okay like this? You worry me, Fate-chan. Already I've seen you eat less... sleep less... Vivio's worried too."

"I will be okay. I will. I have to be. Just... can I ask you one thing? A favor?"

"What is it?"

Fate looked up, the plea clear in her eyes. "Don't forget about me?"

_I am a dreamer but when I wake,  
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.  
And as you move on, remember me,  
Remember us and all we used to be  
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.  
I've watched you sleeping for a while.  
I'd be the father of your child.  
I'd spend a lifetime with you.  
I know your fears and you know mine.  
_

"I could never forget you, Fate-chan." Nanoha closed her eyes as she hugged Fate. "You have always been in my mind, even if it's not the way you want. Never believe that you aren't important to me. If not the most important person."

Fate slowly nodded. This was enough, wasn't it? It had to be enough, if Nanoha wasn't offering anything else.

_We've had our doubts but now we're fine,  
And I love you, I swear that's true.  
I cannot live without you.  
Goodbye my lover.  
Goodbye my friend.  
You have been the one.  
You have been the one for me._

"Will you sleep in the bed with me tonight? Please?"

Fate hesitated, not at all certain if she was ready for that. "I might not be able to control myself."  
Nanoha was silent for a long moment. "Then... then don't."

"What?" Fate couldn't believe her ears.

"If it hurts Fate to hold it in, then let it out. I told you, I love you, Fate-chan. If it makes you happy to... to do whatever it is you want to do with me... if there's anything I can do to make you feel better... then just ask and I'll do it. For you."

"Will you marry me?"

"I can't do that." Nanoha laughed, although it sounded a bit hurt, as if she wished she didn't refuse. "But... I'm willing to accept Fate-chan's kisses... if she doesn't think it will hurt her more by being indulged only a little."

Fate considered the compromise. She could go a little ways with the girl of her dreams, knowing from the start that it wouldn't get anywhere, or she could stop this now and pine for the mother of her child. Godchild.

"...All right."

"Really? You want to... try this?" Nanoha seemed surprised and unsure that Fate had accepted her offer.

Fate smiled weakly. "Will you let me hold your hand tonight?"

Nanoha relaxed noticeably. "Yeah. I'd like that."

_And I still hold your hand in mine.  
In mine when I'm asleep.  
And I will bear my soul in time,  
When I'm kneeling at your feet.  
Goodbye my lover.  
Goodbye my friend.  
You have been the one.  
You have been the one for me._

As they lay down to sleep that night, Fate smiled at Nanoha's willingness to find some middle ground for them to both be happy at. She knew it was temporary, that it was fleeting, but she wanted to be happy about this. And so she closed her eyes, thinking of her special person.

_I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.  
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow._

A/N: I'm going to stop there for the sake of the realization that a lot of the songs I have on my player are sad, and I don't want sad NanoFate. Esp since this isn't really how I portray NanoFate in "Shard Card" the aforementioned crossover fic. Alas, how many happy love songs are really out there, compared to the sad ones?

I don't think the two tracks are related or in the same timeline. As I said, my player is on random and those are two songs that popped up that I made apply to them in order.

I won't hope that you enjoyed this sad little bit, but reviews are still nice?


	2. Track 03 and 04

A/N: It's not really spontaneous if I do requests but... meh, I suppose I can try. The second one curses tho. :\ -makes spontaneous edits to lyrics- But remember, none of these tracks seem to follow the same timeline/scenario. But forever always, NanoFate ftw. n.n.

Edit: Actually, these /might/ be making a story of their own... in a very weird, crackish fashion...

Disclaimer: Don't own anything that isn't mine to own, including Airbourne - Runnin' Wild and the ending of the movie "Godzilla", Come with Me.

Track 03- Runnin' Wild

"Again! Come on, Testerossa, I know there's more fire in you than _that_. What happened to the sparks from last night?"

Their devices clashed in mid-air.

"Don't bring up private matters..." Fate grunted as she got ready to push off against Levantine. "During public practice spars! Bardiche! Arc Saber!"

Signum deftly dodged the attacks before unleashing Levantine's might.

Fate winced as Levantine coiled around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Gritting her teeth, she was forced to let go of Bardiche.

Signum caught her device before it could fall far and held the blade up to Fate's neck. Even though Bardiche powered down in the hands of the 'enemy', Signum still growled, "You've gotten weak, Testerossa."

Fate looked away, away from those piercing, judging eyes. "I'm just not in the mood today, alright?"

"The enemy won't care if you're 'in the mood' or not. Shape up soon, Testerossa." As Signum released Fate and they both floated down to the ground once more, Signum sent off a parting shot. "Nanoha isn't all that you make her out to be, Fate. You have to get over it."

Fate hung her head in shame as she slowly walked in the opposite direction.

Half an hour later found Fate sitting on the roof of the roof entrance, sipping a canned coffee distractedly. She mused on the events of the last 48 hours. "What is this now... Attempt number four?"

She had attempted to continue living with Nanoha.

She had attempted to pretend she hadn't been rejected.

She had failed.

Miserably.

Fate sighed. "Maybe I should move out already... I can't keep stringing Signum on like this..."

"Sir, you have a call waiting."

Fate blinked and straightened up. "Who is it? An official?"

"No, sir, it is from Raising Heart's master."

Fate wasn't sure if that was more or less nervewrecking than if an official had called on her during her off hours.

No, on second thought, she _was_ sure.

It was without a doubt more nervewrecking.

Much more.

"Send it through." Fate didn't know what she was doing anymore. Hadn't she promised Signum she would at least keep a grace period of a week? It hadn't even been three days yet.

But she could never refuse Nanoha.

"Fate-chan... Will you be coming home tonight?"

Fate would have smiled at that if she wasn't afraid it would give Nanoha the wrong impression. Could she really say that place was still home to her?

"Vivio wants you to know she misses you. She wants to see her Fate-mama."

She could feel her insides grow cold. Nanoha was doing it again. "I just ran into her earlier today, Nanoha." Although on the one hand, she wouldn't put it past Vivio to say something like that, it couldn't have been recent. Vivio had clearly told her that if Fate needed some time away from home to sort things out for herself, then she would understand and wait as long as Fate needed. Even if it meant forever. Nanoha on the other hand... "When are you going to stop using our- your child to pin _your_ feelings on?"

_'If you miss me, why can't you just admit it? Is such a simple thing really that difficult for the "Ace of Aces"?'_

"Fate-chan, I... I... please? It makes me so uncomfortable when you avoid me like this..."

Fate's eyes hardened. "You should have thought of that before my heart was broken. Bardiche, disconnect."

"Yes, sir."

"Wait, Fa-"

Fate watched as the screen disappeared.

As Nanoha disappeared.

She had refused Nanoha.

And she was still alive.

Fate smiled. It was a rather invigorating win.

She stood up. "Bardiche. Set up."

"Yes, sir."

With a new bounce in her step, Fate jumped off the building, spiraling into full flight mode. It was time to pack her things up once and for all.

_I've got the wind at my back and my foot to the floor  
I ain't comin' back to you no more  
I'm sick of your crap and your moaning whine  
I'm leaving you for good come rain or shine  
You can cry me a river, cry me a river of tears  
Yeah you can cry all you like but it won't change my mind  
I gotta get away get you outta my life...  
_

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha wrapped her in an embrace before Fate could avoid it.

Fate's voice was as soft as ever, but it still commanded Nanoha's attention. "Nanoha, I'm just coming to get the last of my things. I... I won't be coming back after this."

"What?" Nanoha's shock loosened her grip enough for Fate to slide past her. As Nanoha followed her to their bedroom, she asked, "Why? Fate-chan, hold on, you don't have to-"

"I do." Fate paused a moment to reflect on that simple phrase. She hadn't thought she would be saying it anywhere but at the altar. Oddly enough, with the same person beside her. "I have to get out of here. Out of this... rut. It's ruining my performance in battles."

"I... Isn't there something I can do? Fate-chan, this can't be the only solu-"

"Maybe not," Fate interrupted again as she grabbed her clothes off their hooks and placed them in a dimensional pocket feature Bardiche had. "But staying here certainly _isn't_ the solution."

"Why are you so sure? If you would only stay, I might... I might..."

"Stop. Just _stop_ it, Nanoha." Fate finally looked at her, and faltered upon seeing her tears. She forced herself to look away, to ignore her urge to give into Nanoha's desires just to comfort her. She couldn't put herself second anymore. "I won't ask you to change for me, so don't make me stay for your whim."

"It's not a whim!" Nanoha grabbed Fate's wrist and the viciousness with which Fate threw her off startled her. Disheartened but still stubborn, Nanoha persisted, "I... I don't want to live without you, Fate-chan."

_'I don't want to live without you either. But I have to learn to.' _ Fate's voice was void of all the emotions raging inside her. "You don't get the choice, Nanoha."

_You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
_

Fate looked around the living room one last time and nodded resolutely to herself. "That's about it. You can keep the rest."

Nanoha said nothing, her eyes boring a hole into the corner of the coffee table as she sat with her arms crossed in front of her.

It was then that Fate realized something. "Where's Vivio?"

"At Hayate's."

Fate felt her momentum falter. She was leaving Nanoha to be alone. "When will she be back?"

Nanoha looked up at that moment, defiant yet looking utterly defeated. "When will _you_ be back?"

Fate's eyes narrowed. "Are you insinuating what I think you're insinuating?"

Nanoha started to stand up. "I don't want Vivio to see what I'm like without you there alongside me. If it means imposing on Hayate... then so be it. Vivio comes back when you come back."

"This is ridiculous." It was like a kidnapper who had sent a hostage to a perfectly-accessible third party in hopes of calling on a ransom. "Nanoha, don't abandon Vivio for something that happens between us. She doesn't deserve that."

"_You_ don't deserve to leave!" Nanoha's engines flared for one last attempt.

"I don't 'deserve' it?" Fate scoffed, her patience at its peak. "Well, I don't deserve or desire to stay! Good _bye_, Nanoha."

She slammed the automatic door behind her.

Fate hurried down to the garage, the tears she refused to let fall in front of Nanoha stinging her face. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to be without Nanoha. Of course she didn't. But she couldn't let this siphon off her soul, little by little until she was a mere husk.

Fate fumbled for the keys, ultimately accepting when the computer verified, "Autopilot, on?" Fate never drove on autopilot. But tonight, she didn't trust herself to drive safely.

_Gonna drive all day gonna drive all night  
Whatever it takes to get to the light  
I'm running on rage I'm outta control  
My anger for you is like hot burning coal  
So you can cry me a river, cry me a river of tears  
Yeah you can cry all you like but it won't change my mind  
I gotta get away get you outta my life...  
_

"Please designate a destination."

Fate looked to see what road they were starting on. Oh, it was a highway. Those were usually pretty long... "Keep going straight on this highway until there's nothing left."

"Permission to pull aside for gas as needed?"

"Permission granted."

"Yes, sir."

Fate smiled at the computer function that was so much like Bardiche. What was it about being called 'sir' that made her feel so... energized? After only a few minutes of speeding down the highway almost void of traffic, Fate felt good enough to pull back the top to her convertible.

The wind felt so very, very good in her hair.

_'Almost as good as Nanoha running her fingers through the strands...'_

Fate shook off the thought, extending her hands slowly into the air, letting the force of the car's speed send her almost flat against the back of the seat.

It was a surprisingly exhilarating effect.

_You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
_

Sometime between eleven and twelve that night, she thought it appropriate to turn off Bardiche's call function and flip on the radio. It didn't matter what station it arrived to- in fact, she purposely scrambled it to choose a random station. As a beat she was only vaguely familiar with said its chorus, Fate listened once before joining in.

_You got me runnin' wild, wild and free  
The open road is all i need  
You got me runnin' wild runnin' free  
It's never gonna be like it used to be  
_

After a quick fill-up at a gas station where she stopped off to purchase some class A vodka, Fate jumped back into her car and started it on autopilot again. Fate swayed to the music, tapping the top of her car door to the underlying beat as she took the first swig of alcohol. Nothing could stop her now. She turned up the volume and even went so far as to unbuckle her seatbelt, anything to move more away from what she had left, so as to better embrace the release of her pent up emotions. Had her eyes not been shut in a particularly emphatic moment in the song, she might have seen the red flicker of lights revealed in her rearview mirror.

"Sir, we are being followed. Orders?"

Feeling almost drunk in her heightened euphoria from finally breaking off her strained relationship with Nanoha (the actual alcohol might have helped it along), Fate looked but did not register the red siren that was trying to blare above the music. "Eh? Nanoha's taken to stalking me now? Forget this! Full speed ahead, woohoo!" Fate giggled, imagining that the siren's blares were really words meant to try to stop her.

_Hey, Hey, Hey  
Hey, Hey, Hey  
Hey, Hey, Hey  
Hey, Hey, Hey  
_

Fate let out a throaty laugh as the car with the siren fell back. Nanoha never was one for the road. The road was Fate's turf and hers alone.

"Sir, you have an urgent breach of code message waiting."

"I don't care! Tell them I'm off duty!" It was hard to command things above the volume that the radio had been, but it only worsened when Fate turned it up the highest it would go. Now, even if she was crying, it would be drowned out in the music.

_No I wont turn around I won't turn back  
I've made up my mind and that's a fact  
It's over baby I'm hangin' up this phone  
But before you I go there's just one thing you should know...  
I hope you drown in your river drown in your river of tears  
Yeah you can cry all you like but it won't change my mind  
I gotta get away get you outta my life...  
_

Fate looked up at the fine night sky, clear as anything once she started getting away from the city limits. It was so very beautiful. She growled when a large black obstruction obscured her view. It looked rather like a helicopter, but that hardly mattered.

"Bardiche, Divine Buster."

"Sir, cannot compute. That attack is not part of my function database."

"Whatever! Just blow the stupid thing up!"

"Sir, are you certain?"

"Yes, dammitall! Are you questioning my orders? I said blow it up!"

"Yes, sir."

Fate giggled as the helicopter burst in bright orange flames. "Whee, fireworks! Happy Independence Day!"

_You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
Yeah you got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
You got me runnin' wild and free  
Runnin' wild and free  
_

"God, this is the life." Fate smiled as she watched the city landscape become a small speck in the distance. "Why didn't I ever do this before? I _totally_ needed a joyride."

"Sir, we are still being followed. There is now support."

Fate cursed again as she turned a full 360 in her seat. Putting her hand over her eyes to shade them from the darkness of night, she noticed the fleet of cars chasing her with their sirens blaring. There were also more helicopters in the sky. "Leave me alone! Can't a girl get some _peace and quiet_ around here?!"

With the sirens blaring, the helicopter choppers whirring, and the radio doing its thing, not even Fate could hear what she knew she was saying. Defiantly, she chugged the last bit of the bottle of alcohol and threw it in the back seat before popping open another one. Even though the song was no longer playing, she screamed out the chorus into the night.

_You got me runnin' wild, wild and free  
The open road is all i need  
You got me runnin' wild runnin' free  
It's never gonna be like it used to be  
_

Fate hiccupped. She looked at the bottle and wondered if it was its doing. "Nahh..."

She glared when she realized it was one in the morning and they were still trying to communicate blasphemous platitudes to her.

_Hey, Hey, Hey  
Hey, Hey, Hey  
Hey, Hey, Hey  
Hey, Hey, Hey_

It wasn't until the commercials came on, giving the computer a chance to be heard that it sunk in.

"Sir, our followers have been identified through mobile to mobile transmission. They are the city's department of public safety, sent on the call of a reported dangerous driver."

"Who the hell's a dangerous driver? I'm on autopilot!"

"We are going 100 mph, Sir, since you ordered to speed up. Should we slow down? As of currently, we are breaking the law."

This sobered Fate up. And yet, it didn't. She laughed in the face of adversity and irony. An Enforcer breaking the law.

Well, she might as well play it for all that it was worth. "Keep going until you burn out of gas! Don't let them catch up!"

"Yes, sir."

Yes, she would never let Nanoha catch her again... she had had her chance, and she blew it. These cops were hardly better than Nanoha, and so hardly deserved her obedience.

"Because I, Fate Testerossa Harlaown, am now finally running wild. Yes, wild and free."

Track 04- Puff Daddy- Come With Me

"Give me Bardiche back, dammit! What do you think I'll do, break out? Come on!"

Without Bardiche, with only herself, she was just a defenseless woman... no, a defenseless, _drunken_ woman. She should be counting her lucky stars that she only had to stay in jail for the night while things were processed and the alcohol wore off, but she hated being without a way to defend herself. She did take classes in self-defense and hand-to-hand combat, but in her current internal state of drunk vs. hangover, she wasn't about to be able to hit much of anything. Realizing no one was going to answer her half-drunken demands, Fate let go of the bars of her cell and sunk to her knees.

_Hear my cries, hear my call  
Lend me your ears, see my fall  
See my errors, know my faults  
Time halts, see my loss  
_

It was a surprise to her when the officer sent the metal packing as he slid the cell door open. "Miss Harlaown, you're free to go. Someone came to pick you up."

Fate slowly looked up to see a nervous, red-eyed Nanoha standing just behind the officer. She snorted and looked away at the thought of the blue-eyed girl having red eyes like her. They would never be so alike, no matter if either of them tried. "I don't want to go."

The officer, who had been listening to Fate's complaints with one ear for the greater part of two hours, smiled with amusement at this. "We gave your escort your intelligent device. If you want it back... it's out of our hands now. So come on out of there, Miss Harlaown."

Fate met the eyes of her officer, glaring with annoyance. She could have said some choice words at that moment, but instead, she acquiesced and swayed to her feet. As she walked out of the door, past Nanoha, she mumbled, "I'll just walk. I don't need an 'escort'."

She could hear Nanoha bowing with polite platitudes towards the officer before following me. When Nanoha grabbed her arm in an attempt to steady her, Fate again flung off her advances, but in her tipsy, irritable state, she flung too hard and her head collided with the wall.

_'Note to self: Headache plus head injury does _not_ equal good.'_

"Fate-chan! Are you okay?"

Fate glared with one eye as she reached up to hold her hand over her new light injury. "I'm fine. You can stop worrying about me any day now."

After getting a little sidetracked she found the front door and exited through it. She looked around and realized... "Where's my car?"

"It got towed..." Nanoha was still behind her, following her like some puppy desperate to be reunited with her master. Fate smirked at that; now that would be a twist. Fate being in control of the one in control of her heart.

"When are you going to stop following me? Go home already."

"Fate-chan... please... won't you come home with me? We've been through tougher times than this... I know that if we just worked together, we could come up with something..."

"Come up with something yourself!" Fate turned to glare at her again after tasting which way the wind was blowing. She started walking east. "I'm over you, Nanoha!" Something told her there was a contradiction of exclamations in there, but she didn't care anymore. She would leave it to Nanoha to fabricate some story.

Nanoha continued to follow her. Far enough that Fate couldn't hit her easily, but close enough that Fate could hear every damnable word she uttered. "Fate-chan, I know I've done wrong by you, and I'm sorry, but... but... what do you want from me?!" The last part was said with such desperation, Fate almost felt sorry for her.

"I want nothing from you. If you know what's good for you, stop this now. Or else we'll become enemies." Fate smiled where Nanoha couldn't see her; her words brought back memories of their intense first meetings, back when they both wanted the same thing. Jewel Seeds.

_Know I'm lacking, backtracking  
Where I met you, pistol packing  
Itchy finger, trigger happy  
Try to trap me, bad rap  
_

"Fate-chan... could you at least tell me what I did wrong? Why you don't think you can stay with me?"

"I can't trust you with my feelings. I don't know what you tell other people, but it's never the same as what I tell them about the same issue. You say one thing, when you mean another. The arrangement we've tried to have since I first confessed... I'm sick of it. I won't spend the rest of my life doubting you, Nanoha. I'd rather just cut you out of my life."

_'Even if doing so feels like cutting off all my limbs at once.'_

"Then do it back to me." Fate stopped and, against her better judgment, turned to look at Nanoha, who continued with the same desperation, "If you don't trust me, I'll prove to you I can be trusted. I won't complain even if you..."

_Wiretap me, backstab me  
Break the faith, fall from grace  
Tell me lies, time flies  
Close your eyes, come with me  
_

For a moment, Fate faltered. But then she turned back around and continued walking. Walking away from the trap. "I told you, I won't spend the rest of my life doubting you. Not like you doubt yourself already."

"I do? About what? What reason would you have to believe that I doubt myself?"

"_Look_ at yourself, Nanoha!" Fate gritted her teeth as her own words minced through her aching brain, but she forced herself to explain- she would later blame it on the alcohol. "For all that you do, all that you say you're willing to do, you can't give me the one thing I want. And if I were to tell you what I want, it would spoil it in and of itself. And for as long as you can't give me _that_ then I can't go back. I can't go back to a life void of _that_."

This, at least, Nanoha understood. "I told you before, didn't I? I would do anything I could to make you happy. And I tried. I _tried_, didn't I? Isn't that enough?"

"Trying to be someone you're not only makes the hole inside my heart bigger, Nanoha. So just stop it. Nothing you 'try' to do will work until you can..."

_Come with me, yeah  
Come with me  
Huh huh, yeah  
_

Nanoha still refused to give up, listing things she would do, would change, if only to get Fate back. But Fate, albeit still a bit drunk, was not stupid. She knew no matter what Nanoha did, until she _felt_ the emotions behind those actions, they were worth nothing.

When Nanoha stopped talking for a while, Fate thought she would finally let things go, but apparently not. "Fate-chan... when I said you could trust me... I really meant it. I never wanted to hurt you."

"But you did. And that's all that matters." Fate couldn't stop the chill from entering her voice.

_You said to trust you, you'd never hurt me  
Now, I'm disgusted, since then adjusted  
Certainly, you fooled me, ridiculed me  
Left me hangin', now shot's boomerangin'  
_

"You told me the same thing! You said I could trust you... that you would never leave my side... now what is this you're plotting?!" It appeared that Nanoha was finally trying to change tactics. "Maybe it will be rough for a while longer, but think about it- when we're retired from the military and we don't have to submit to military protocol anymore, we'll be free to do anything we want. And if we're together, can't you just imagine how sweet it could be?"

"It would certainly be sweet," Fate agreed without emotion. "And it's certainly sad that I can no longer connect reality and being in that situation with you ever again." Fate closed her eyes and whispered, "I know I agreed to commit... but you're the one who threw it back in my face first."

_Right back at ya, think long-ranged  
Narrow minded, left me blinded  
I co-signed it, shot backfired  
Now I'm bouncin' back, I grinded  
_

"I was wrong, okay? I know that. But I need you, Fate-chan. I know I must be difficult to live with, and I'm overbearing and pushy sometimes... but I also feel that you're the only one who can really understand me all the time. It goes beyond finishing my sentences or being there when I need someone... I ... In everything you do... I can feel your love for me. And I've come to realize that I need that in my life. I need someone I trust to stay by me... I need _you_, Fate. So please..."

_Not many would bear the pressure  
You comprehend me, you musn't end me  
You offend me, it's trauma  
Feel the drama, come with me  
_

Fate whirled around to give Nanoha a piece of her mind, but instead, her stomach lurched and she turned again to empty her stomach in some poor, unsuspecting bushes on the side of the road. As the fog from being drunk cleared a little more, she found herself being comforted by the hand calmly holding back her hair... the other hand tracing slow, firm circles on her back... she could almost believe she was cared about.

When Nanoha saw that she had just about finished, she handed her a handkerchief. "Here. Use this."

Disgruntled but not denying that she didn't have her own handkerchief on her person, Fate took it, wiped around her mouth roughly, balled up the handkerchief and shoved it in her pocket. "I'll wash it and give it back to you later."

"Don't worry about it; you can keep it."

Fate tried to straighten and keep walking, but the momentum she had kept going earlier had vanished. Exhausted, Fate fell backwards and plopped down on the side of the road, her feet meshed with the untidy weeds. She was no longer surprised that Nanoha still insisted on doing whatever she did, which meant sitting beside her.

_Yeah, huh huh, heh  
Come with me  
Don't be afraid, yeah  
Come with me  
_

Fate closed her eyes, wondering just what sort of sick game she was playing. Nanoha clearly cared for her, wanted to be with her, loved her in some form. Was it really necessary to hold out for more? Did she really need to have the option open to take Nanoha up in her arms and kiss her when she was sad... rather than just talk it out and maybe sometimes give her a hug? Did she really need more verification of their 'family' lifestyle than Vivio calling them both 'Mama'? When Fate glanced over at Nanoha, the sun beginning to rise behind her, she could feel her heart start to break.

_'God yes, yes I do. I can't look at her anymore with wanting... _more_.'_

_I close my eyes  
And I see  
You, standing there  
I cry  
Tears of sorrow  
I die  
_

"What will it take to convince you that I love you... at least as much as you loved me?"

Fate froze, wondering if Nanoha really meant that. She didn't respond for a long time, enjoying the soft breeze that rustled her hair. The fire had blown out inside her heart, but she could deny it no longer- her heart still burned for Nanoha.

Fate cleared her throat and started, "Do you miss me when I'm gone?"

"Every hour of every day." It seemed Nanoha's pride had finally broken down, and she was willing to admit this much to Fate regardless of the repercussions she thought it might have.

"Do you respect me?"

"Of course! I have since the day I met you!" Nanoha was shocked that Fate would even question that.

"Do you love me?"

Nanoha relaxed her defensive stance. "Yes."

"Would you do anything to make me go back?"

"I... I don't want to _force_ you to come back... but I do _really, really_ want you to return so... yes."

Fate finally turned to look at her. "Then let me leave now, and if there comes a time when I feel as you do... maybe we can try this again. But not now, Nanoha. It can't be right now."

_  
Front my enemies, front my foes  
Damn these hoes, you steppin' on my toes  
Back up off me, take your hands off me  
Give me room to breathe  
_

Nanoha closed her eyes, seriously starting to accept this answer. "Do you promise? If I wait, will you eventually come back to me?"

Fate looked away, towards the rising sun. "I won't promise. But I'm weak right now. If I did promise, I'd probably come back by next week. But I won't do that to myself. I need to... reestablish myself as an independent person. You can understand that, can't you? Why I need to be on my own for a while."

"Yeah... yeah I can."

_I'm not hearin' it, I'm not fearin' it  
I'm up to my ears in it, bullsht  
I'm destructive, some women find that  
Seductive, some say it's lunacy  
_

Nanoha laughed, a sad laugh that broke through her silent tears. "I always thought you were pretty strong and independent... but if you think that you need to be more so... I suppose I can't stop you. I'll need to step up my own game then."

Fate nodded. "I... Nanoha... no matter where I am in my life... know that when you need me... I'll be there to watch your back. So... you shouldn't feel that you have to hold back."

Nanoha smiled, looking over at Fate. "Thank you. And I'm sorry you have to deal with the backlash from my attacks being so destructive. You know they say I must be crazy? The 'Demon Cannon' Girl."

A small smile escaped Fate's control at the attempt at levity. Throwing back her head to look at the quickly fading night landscape, she whispered, "I think it's seductive."

Nanoha flushed and said nothing more on the subject.

"Nanoha."

"Hmm?" They had been silent for a while, the rifts between them being patched up in the time spent together without lashing out at each other. Nanoha had been just about ready to doze off.

"I should say my apologies too. Until I can accept what is and isn't between us... I'm sorry if I sometimes have to ignore you to get through what needs to get done... I'm sorry if I end up being a bore... I... I don't mean to..."

_Word diddly, I've been movin' on  
I ignore you, sorry if I bore you  
I neglect you, don't mean to disrespect you  
Can't you see  
_

"Fate..."

"Let me finish." Fate smiled with all the love she could conjure up inside her, past the hurt, past the sadness... "Nanoha... I love you. I'll say it again and again, because I know it will never fade."

Nanoha jumped on this, not wanting to miss her chance. "I love you, too, Fate. I love you dearly; that's the truth. I'm sorry I haven't been honest with my feelings. I'm sorry I hurt you as a result. But I do love you. And even if you ignore me and it ends up annoying me, even if you don't act like the Fate that I've come to learn is never a bore... I'll wait. I'll wait forever for the day you come back. Because... because... you're right. I don't deserve you if I can't do what you've been doing for so long up until now."

_I love you dearly, and that's sincerely  
But you annoy me, you can't avoid me  
I'm here to stay forever  
And ever and a day, that's never  
_

"Nanoha..." Fate shut her eyes, wishing she wasn't so weak. Wishing she could have resisted for a while longer. Why did Nanoha have to say this now? She was so close to be able to move on... why did Nanoha have to be her anchor to life? "I... thank you."

"Fate... Can I..." Nanoha's hesitance, this weakness Fate was only beginning to realize that Nanoha only wanted her to see, started to awaken Fate to the world that Nanoha was opening her up to. "Fate... would it be uncomfortable for you if I... if I hugged you right now?"

In answer, Fate nodded, but as she felt those arms wrap around her, envelope her in the warmth that sent memories from the first time Nanoha beat her crashing back... a storm of tears raged to the surface. Her fingers curled around Nanoha, pulling her closer as she cried into her shoulder.

_'Damn you, Nanoha...'_

_I can't let you go, I can't forget it  
Why you did it, I won't permit it  
I won't acquit it, I wanna to fight you  
I'll fuckin' bite you, can't stand nobody like you  
_

"I'll always protect you, Fate. I promise. No matter how far away you are, how long we'll have come from today... I will protect your feelings, along with mine. If you close your eyes, I'll protect you from any who might try to take advantage of that. For every moment of weakness you have, I'll give you my strength. Because Fate's existence... Because Fate exists... somewhere... I have the strength to continue on."

_You can't run, you can't hide  
No surprise, close your eyes  
Come with me, yeah  
Come with me  
_

"I'll wait for you, too." Fate looked up with a genuine smile from the depths of her heart. "I'll wait for the day when you can say, 'I can live without you... I just don't want to anymore.' I'll wait for the day when I can kiss away your tears, when I can show everyone that your power, your beauty, your strength, means little to me. I'll wait for the day when I can show the world that you are loved not for what you can do for others, but for your kindhearted soul, who _will_ do those things for others. I will wait for the day when I can truly tell you just how much I love you... and when you can show me the same. For that... I will wait."

Nanoha stood up and offered her hand. "In the meantime... What do you say? Let's go back into the city? I won't ask you to come home with me, but at least come with me to pick up your car."

Fate looked at the hand and realized that Bardiche was waiting for her there. She smiled as she placed her hand in Nanoha's. "You want me to come with you? I'm the one that should be offering to..."

_Come with me!!  
I'm a take you with me_

_I'm here to stay forever  
And ever and a day, that's never  
Come with me_

_Huh huh, yeah  
Huh huh, yeah  
Come with me_

"Let's go then. Bardiche!"

"Raising Heart!"

"Set UP!"

Even if their bodies would be going in opposite directions... their hearts were heading in the same direction.

A/N: This was longer than I thought. XO Stupid long songs. Well, here's the second chapter to a fic I hadn't expected to last more than a one-shot. It got serious too. :\ Oh well. Read Shard Card when you have time! n.n It's the crossover I'm most proud of ATM :3 Thanks for your time! (And I guess I'll take song requests from reviewers too now)


	3. Track 05 and 06

A/N: More shameless advertising for Shard Card, which has happier scenes than this fic has been having. Lessee, request list includes:

Frank Sinatra- Fly Me to the Moon

Twisted Sister- I Wanna Rock

The Veronicas- In Another Life

For the purpose of plot, I'll change the meaning of the Twisted Sister song completely by making it translate to "I want a Rock" as in, the rock. Diamond rock. :3 I'm sure you can see where I might be going with that already? Also, I like Utada Hikaru's slightly extended version of Fly me to the moon, so I'll use that. Compromising requests because the last chapter was based on requests from the same person. As for "in another life"... hmm... I'll put it in this chapter with the song I'm listening to now (I cheated and waited for another song to come up) Jack Johnson- On and On

I reserve the right to end this fic at whichever track I decide would make a nice ending.

Thank you for your reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has someone else's name on it. As of yesterday, I came under forced ownership of a banana. Which was stolen while I was asleep. :O

Track 05- Jack Johnson- On and On

"All right, that's a wrap." Nanoha smiled at the tired but relieved expressions on the faces of her students. It was a sight she never got tired of. "Do some cool down exercises and then you can leave."

Nanoha was about to leave, not having worked up enough of a sweat to even need to bother winding down, but a voice stopped her. "Instructor Takamachi!"

She turned, a benevolent smile on her face. "Yes? Is there something I can help you with, Markus-san?"

The man who was actually two years her senior rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Can I, that is, can I have a moment of your time? There's something I'd like to talk with you about... privately."

"Oh? Well then, join me in my office." After five years working as an instructor, Nanoha had finally been able to move into the newly built facility that let her do her paperwork near her training site. So famous was her reputation as an instructor beyond being the Ace of Aces, they had christened the building "Takamachi Training Center" or TTC for short. Even though, technically, the 'T' was supposed to stand for the main donor's name.

When they arrived, Nanoha gestured to the seat in front of her desk as she descended into her usual chair. "Please, have a seat." When Markus did so, but was unwilling to start the conversation, Nanoha prompted, "So what is this business you have with me?"

Nervously, Markus cleared his throat, started to speak, faltered, shook his head, and then tried again. "Takamachi-san... I... To be straightforward... I think I've fallen for you."

Nanoha blinked in honest surprise and leaned back in her chair. "I'm flattered, but I'm sorry, I can't return those feelings."

"Is it... Is it because of Enforcer Harlaown?"

The name brought back a flood of memories, but the only part of Nanoha's expression that changed was the nature of her smile. "Yes, yes it is."

"Forgive me for being impertinent," Markus paused, and then went on, "But it seems you and Enforcer Harlaown have not been close for the greater part of the last three years. Is it really worth denying everyone else?"

Nanoha closed her eyes. "Markus-san, I don't expect you to understand my position, but please try. So long as Fate has yet to die of natural causes, I will always hold her in far higher regard than any who might otherwise touch my heart. So while I think you are a commendable officer, Markus-san, I still cannot return your feelings, and I strongly suggest you find someone else more receptive to your affection."

"It is of my personal opinion that Enforcer Harlaown, as great as she is, does not deserve you, Takamachi-san."

Nanoha turned an amused eye on him, as if to say, _'And you do?'_ Instead, she simply murmured, "That's just the way things happened."

_In times like these and in times like those  
What will be will be and so it goes  
And it always goes on and on and on and on and on  
On and on and on and on and on it goes, hmm  
_

"You won't be able to convince me otherwise, Markus-san. If that was all that you wished to discuss with me, I have some paperwork to finish now."

Markus hesitated, knowing he had been dismissed. He seemed about to say something, but eventually surrendered and stood up. "Takamachi-san..."

"Yes?"

"If that's the way things are going to be... I hope you can find your happiness soon."

Nanoha smiled. "I _am_ happy, Markus-san. I like my life right now. But thank you."

After Markus left, Nanoha sighed softly and leaned back in her chair. What number was that just this week? It seemed as if everything had sped up after that last night out with Fate and, before she even realized it, a year had gone by. Both of them had been smiling when they attended Shari's baby shower and had even laughed together about their times together and separate. Nanoha smiled upon remembering.

_There will always be laughin cryin birth and dyin  
Boys and girls with hearts that take and give and break  
Heal and grow and recreate and raise and nurture  
Then hurt, from time to times like these and times like those  
What will be will be and so it goes  
_

Later that day, Nanoha was still reflecting on the past year as she walked down the hallways. When Fate had been deployed for an overseas mission, Nanoha had been there to see her off. They had smiled and hugged, and Nanoha was forced to watch as Fate became a speck on the horizon.

Her love had gone off to fight a war, while Nanoha had to help man the base back home. But it was their home that she was protecting. Because she continued to believe that, she could continue to wait. Every day was spent waiting for Fate to come back to her. Not idly waiting, but waiting all the same. Some days, she never had the chance to even think about Fate, so busy was her schedule.

Other days, it took everything Nanoha had to find something to do besides think of Fate. Especially when Fate returned, only to have to spend time in the hospital. That had begun the true ushering of "sweeter pastures" and when Nanoha could take pleasure in knowing that the war was over and had given Fate back to her.

_There will always be stop and go and fast and slow  
And action reaction and sticks and stones and broken bones  
Those for peace and those for war  
And God bless these ones not those ones but these ones  
_

Nanoha opened the door to her home, calling out to the room she expected to be empty, "I'm home."

She stopped cold in her tracks when she saw that flash of gold swish outward from around the corner. Fate smiled at her. "Welcome home."

"F-Fate..." Even after all this time, it felt... odd to have Fate with her now. Had she changed that much?

Vivio poked her head out from around Fate's skirt. "Welcome home, Nanoha-mama."

Nanoha let herself smile, accepting this for all that it could be. Walking forward until she had stopped in front of Fate, who had walked to meet her, Nanoha whispered, "You're... home?"

"Yes," Fate traced the contour of Nanoha's hair, flicking upward to tuck a loose strand behind her ear. "If you want me to be."

Nanoha nodded slightly, the motion lost on her emotions as she leaned forward and hugged Fate. It had been so long... and yet... it still felt like yesterday that she had had Fate in her arms like this.

"Nanoha, I love you."

"I love you, too, Fate."

And so it goes.

_May times like these and times like those  
What will be will be and so it goes  
And it always goes on and on and on and on and on  
On and on and on and on and on it goes, hmm_

_Somehow I know, it won't be the same  
Somehow I know, it'll never be the same_

It was an odd feeling, having Fate home with no explanation whatsoever as to her timing, but Nanoha didn't feel up to commenting. She could stand to wait for Fate to tell her, if she wanted to. That night, as they lay in bed, curled up together, Nanoha realized that things weren't going to be the same as when she was last living with Fate.

She also realized she was glad of that.

Track 06- The Veronicas- In Another Life

How many days had she looked out on the ocean, and thought of Nanoha? During the long war that had kept her away from home, for far longer than she had intended, how many times had her thoughts traveled back to the redhead that saved her so long ago?

It was over an ocean just like this one, where Nanoha had beaten her into submission for the first time. Back then, she really wouldn't have minded, if there hadn't been the issue with her mother. Even with that, she had been very happy to hear that her savior just wanted to be her friend. Wanting to be there for her.

And soon after they had met Hayate, Fate still clearly remembered the words Nanoha had declared from the rooftops, so happy was she that Fate would be staying in the area for quite some time- as long as Nanoha stayed there.

_I have known you my whole life_

_When you were ten, you said you'd make me your wife_

_Eight years later you won me over_

_Just as I took the world on my shoulders_

Fate laughed to herself as she pushed away from the railing, heading off to get back to the daily mechanics of life in the Navy. It actually wasn't that hard to live without Nanoha. The rigors of work usually kept her occupied enough that she didn't think about her for most of the day. And with Vivio safe with Nanoha, Fate didn't have to worry about how her daughter was doing, because she knew Nanoha would cover all the bases in her absence. After a while, perhaps a year after she had last seen Nanoha in person, Fate had contemplated her love for the other woman, and realized that it had evolved, just slightly. No longer did her heart pang with yearning with every day that went by, but when she remembered Nanoha, or what Nanoha might do in some given situation, her body warmed with the pleasure of the feelings that came with it.

_I got used to living without you_

_Endless phone calls and dreaming about you_

_Always said that you were my man to be_

_But I guess I was in love with your memory_

Fate had returned quietly, after a short stay at the hospital. She had known Nanoha wouldn't be expecting her. She had counted on it.

"Fate-mama!" Vivio had found her when she wasn't even two feet past the door yet.

Fate swept her up in a hug, dropping her bag as she did so. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I had to stick with it until the war ended. Will you forgive me, Vivio?"

"Unh!" Vivio still had her arms around Fate's neck. "Nanoha-mama will be home soon. Is Fate-mama staying for ever an' ever now?"

Fate smiled and nuzzled Vivio's nose with her own, making the younger girl giggle. "Do you want me too?"

"Unh! Nanoha-mama and I missed you lots! The bed is too big..."

Laughing at that, Fate set Vivio down and picked up her discarded bag. After laying it on the corner of the couch, Fate asked, "So what have you been up to while I was away? Fill Fate-mama in on all the juicy details."

Vivio giggled, but before she could start, she remembered, "Ooh! Nanoha-mama changed the guest room into my room. I have my very own room now! Come see, come see! I helped decorate!"

Fate laughed as she let herself be dragged along. "I'm not going anywhere, Vivio. You don't have to rush so much."

"But there's so much I have to tell Fate-mama!"

Fate smiled and listened as Vivio showed her the sketchbooks she had filled up since Fate had been away, adding a little explanatory anecdote with each set that required one.

It was during one such anecdote that the sound of the door closing and a familiar voice saying, "I'm home" drifted to them.

"Nanoha-mama's home!" Despite Vivio's eagerness, Fate found herself rushing in front of the girl.

She stopped as she rounded the corner and her eyes fell on the visage that was Nanoha.

She hadn't realized Nanoha could _get_ much more beautiful than Fate already thought she was. How mistaken she had been.

Nanoha seemed startled by her presence, so Fate offered first, "Welcome home."

This seemed to do little to move Nanoha, but when Fate started walking towards her, she did the same. Perhaps Vivio's arrival helped as well.

There was something in the way Nanoha had said her name that told Fate that Nanoha was afraid. Afraid of what would happen from then on, perhaps, if what she had heard was right, afraid that it was too good to be true.

Fate wondered then how Nanoha had progressed, if her feelings had progressed at all.

_I know I said that I would keep my word_

_I wished that I could save you from the hurt_

_But things will never go back to how we were_

_I'm sorry I can't be your world_

"You're... home?"

The timidity in that single phrase felt endearing to Fate. She started to wrap her arms around Nanoha, perhaps just as much for herself as for Nanoha. "Yes. If you'll have me."

Fate gasped at the strength of Nanoha's hold. As if she was afraid that... if she let go... Fate would disappear.

Fate sought to comfort her. "Nanoha, I love you."

_The way you're holding on to me_

_Makes me feel like I can't breathe_

_Just let me go, just let me go_

_It just won't feel right inside_

_God knows I've tried_

And then, Nanoha said the words that she always wanted to hear whenever she came home. Perhaps it was a bit selfish, but it was her own selfish guilty pleasure.

"I love you too, Fate."

_You know I love you, you know I do_

_But I can't fight anymore for you_

_And I don't know, maybe we'll be together again_

_Sometime, in another life_

Fate had promised to come back when Nanoha could feel the same for her or vice versa. She had taken a chance, because she hadn't wanted to stay away forever from the beginning. She took a chance, believing they could set out together in another life, built into the timeline of the life they had already experienced.

_In another life, in another life_

_In another life ..._

A/N: Yay, shorter this time. And happier, I hope? Some of the lyrics of track 06 don't fit as well anymore, but I hope it still works. Hmm... there's still fly me to the moon and I wanna rock... –whistles innocently- Well, I never wanted to make this as sad a story it started out being so... happy song requests? :D?


	4. Track 07 and 08

A/N: Yay, two more tracks. And no backlog either from new requests. :3 Well then, let's go with the two left from before. :3 Oh, and Track 07 features the Xii, a chip off the ol' obvious, originally used in Shard Card. :3 (Based on the VVII I saw somewhere else) Yup, more shameless advertising

Disclaimer: I own nothing that isn't mine to own. That's called borrowing or stealing and I don't steal. Important stuff at least.

Track 07- Twisted Sister- I Wanna Rock

Fate had been broody for the greater part of the week, but whenever Nanoha asked what was wrong, Fate clammed up and said it was nothing.

When Nanoha tried to kiss her and Fate refused, Nanoha knew it was not 'nothing.'

So when they both had the day off, she grabbed Fate and forced her to sit down on the couch. She plugged in the karaoke game for their Xii and offered Fate the microphone. She only had one demand.

"If you won't talk normally, then tell me in a song. Just tell me what the hell is wrong."

Fate looked at her, as if squaring her up, before taking the microphone. "All right. Dance to my beat." She flipped through the selection and set the music to Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock." Nanoha stared in confusion, but at Fate's gesturing, took up her position on the DDR pad. While Fate sang, the screen would pull up the arrows that would help Nanoha dance to Fate's voice, but nothing could have prepared her for how fast the music ended up being (except maybe the intro).

Regardless, Fate took a deep breath as her cue came up and practically screamed out the chorus.

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**I want a rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

Nanoha winced, as Fate was only two feet away and maxing out the speakers as well. "You don't have to sing it that loud!" Nanoha muttered, "And what's this rock you're talking about?"

Fate continued, heedless of Nanoha's protests as she started getting caught up in the fervor of the music.

**Turn it down you say**

**But all I got to say to you is time and time again I say No!**

**No! No! No!**

**Tell me not to play**

**Well, all I got to say to when you tell me not to play I say No!**

**No! No! No!**

**So, if you ask me why I like the way I play it**

**There's only one thing I can say to you**

Nanoha sighed, even as she recovered from the fast beat of the "No"s. As Fate continued singing, she tried to figure out for herself what Fate was trying to tell her.

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**I want a rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

As the song went into an instrumental refrain, Fate softened her voice as she half-sang, half-spoke, "I want a nice little rock, to go on my ring finger, so when I someone asks me if I'm taken, I can just show them the ring and let it answer all. I want to let them know..."

**There's a feelin' that**

**I get from nothin' else and there ain't nothin' in the world that makes me go!**

**Go! Go! Go!**

**Turn the power up**

**I've waited for so long so I could hear my favorite song so, let's go!**

**Go! Go! Go!**

**When it's like this I feel the music shootin' through me**

**There's nothin' else that I would rather do**

Fate held out a hand towards Nanoha as she continued to sing her message. "Why won't you give me this little thing I want? The thing I want, the thing I want? It doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't have to be expansive; it's just for you and me, yet something others will see. That's why..."

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**Rock!(Rock!)**

**Rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

**I want a rock!(Rock!)**

**I wanna rock!(Rock!)**

It went on for some time, but after the third repetition, Nanoha stopped dancing and glomped Fate, tackling her to the ground. "You're such a silly girl, Fate." Nanoha smiled. "If you wanted to get married, all you had to do was ask."

Track 08- Utada Hikaru- Fly Me to the Moon (originally by Frank Sinatra)

_'Breathe, girl, breathe. You can do this.' _Fate looked up at the door that would lead her to Nanoha. They had set it up so that while neither could see the other until the ceremony began, they would come from opposite sides of a hallway, meet in the middle, and walk down the aisle together. It saved the trouble of dealing with middle men and irksome details like who Fate would choose to serve as her "father" who would have otherwise been the one to walk her down the aisle.

The downside was that this made opening that door a thrice-over nervewrecking experience. Had it not been for the helping hands always on call to make sure her light makeup wasn't getting messed up, Fate was not at all confident that she would have been able to keep from marring the perfection that she so wanted to be their wedding.

And then she heard it.

The wedding march.

Fate placed a gloved hand on the doorknob, but drew back as if shocked. Clenching her hand into a fist, she whispered, "Maybe I shouldn't do this after all."

Subaru, as energetic and fiery as always, insisted, "Fate-san! What are you saying? Haven't you waited for this moment for several years now? You can't just give that up! It's okay, you can do it!"

Fate flushed and looked away. "But... maybe we're being too hasty. And there's Vivio's future to consider, and... and..."

_'Fate-chan?'_

Fate stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes. Placing a hand over her heart, she responded to Nanoha's gentle call.

_'Yes, I'm here.'_

_'Fate-chan, are you nervous? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach? Are your toes curling?'_

Fate became aware of herself and realized that she was indeed feeling that way. _'Yes. How did you know?'_

_'Nyahaha... Because it's how I'm feeling too. But I'm not afraid of what's going to happen. Because I know that in just a few moments, you'll be by my side and everything will turn out just fine.'_

It was amazing how well Nanoha's voice cleared her reservations and made Fate self-assured. _'You're right. It _will_ be okay.'_

_'They're waiting for us. Open the door on the count of three, okay? Match the beat of the music when you walk.'_

_'I know, I know, we rehearsed all this already. One,'_

_'Two'_

Fate opened the door as she heard a door open on the other end of the hallway. Even from several yards away, Fate knew for a fact that Nanoha looked more beautiful than ever. The count for 'three' died on her lips as her feet started moving towards her fiancée all on their own.

Time seemed to slow down and speed up all at once from the moment their gloved hands touched. Fate felt like every second was suspended over the course of a minute or more, but at the same time felt too rushed to relish the moment for all that she wanted to.

Before long, it was time to say their vows. Fate could not really recall what she said or how much she had taken from her memorized slip, but she knew it all came from her heart.

Nanoha was smiling the whole time.

When Fate finished, Nanoha turned her head to Yuuno, who had walked over to a grand piano. Nanoha held Fate's hands in hers as she explained, "Rather than the normal reciting of vows, I decided to sing to show you just how much I love you and want to stay with you." After clearing her throat and waiting for the right starting moment, Nanoha began.

_**Poets often use many words  
To say a simple thing  
But it takes thought and time and rhyme  
To make a poem sing**_

_**With music and words I'll be playin'  
For you, I have written a song  
To be sure that you know what I'm sayin'  
I'll translate as I go along**_

_**Fly me to the moon  
And let me play among the stars  
Won't you let me see what spring  
Is like on Jupiter and Mars**_

_**In other words, hold my hand  
In other words, darling, kiss me**_

_**Fill my heart with song  
And let me sing forevermore  
'Cause you are all I long for  
All I worship and adore**_

_**In other words, please be true  
In other words, I love you**_

_**In other words, please be true  
(Please be true, I just want you to be true)  
In other words, yeah yeah yeah yeah,  
I love you  
(I love you, I love you)  
Oh oh**_

_**C'mon, just take me to the moon and back**_

A/N: Oooh, thanks so much for the reviews of the last chapter. .n.n. Wrote half of this chapter before I went off, so I received more requests before this one will be posted. I'll list them here to set them apart from future requests.

Something with Numbers- Stay with me bright eyes

Shayne Ward- Breathless (I think I'll use this in Shard Card, but I'll upload the scene I use here as an extra)

Mariah Carey- Touch me

Well, looks like I have two to use next time... thanks much! Feel free to make more requests tho. :3 This is fun.

Edit: Also received recommendations of Colbie Caillat songs like midnight bottle, bubbly, realize, feelings show and Leona Lewis (another artist) I'll have to wait until these next two chapters comes out before I can decide on those tho. Also, if I have to pick, then it ruins the randomness :\

Edit: OMG I actually know Colbie Caillat's Bubbly! (never knew the title of the song or the artist tho) I'll think about it, k?


	5. Track 09 and 10

A/N: Uwah, backlog! To be fair, I'll just pick one Colbie Caillat song (Bubbly) and one Leona Lewis song. Plus Stay with me bright eyes, breathless, touch my body, and two additions, Credence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son and "Prince of Persia: The 2 Thrones"'s ending theme, "I Still Love You". For a total of...7. O.o Well... addressing two for now.

Track 08- Mariah Carey- Touch My Body

"Fate-chan, I left my hair down like you wan... ted? Fate-chan?" Nanoha looked around the empty room. "Fate-chan, where are y-II!"

"I'm right here," Fate purred into her ear.

_Baby, you're the place to be  
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah  
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah_

Fate enjoyed Nanoha's soft moans as she gently fondled her from behind. "Nanoha... your hair looks so sexy when you leave it down. It looks just like your-"

Nanoha's hand that had been holding Fate's stiffened. "I'll kill you right here and now if you say it looks like my mother's."

Fate giggled, giving Nanoha's bare shoulder a pacifying kiss. "Of course not. I wouldn't entertain thoughts like that. I was just going to say it looked like your new wife's hair. Don't you think?"

Nanoha giggled and allowed herself to be led over to the bed, the robe slowly but surely slipping down her shoulders as Fate continued to plant little kisses. "Oh you. Do you want me to tell you I think your hair is sexy, too? Just because I've been telling you that since before we became friends..."

"I never cut it because I know you loved it."

"Oh really? Then did you know..." Nanoha gently pushed Fate down on the bed, pinning her as she watched the blonde strands splay out beneath their owner. "That I love it most when I'm looking at it from here?"

Fate giggled. "Nanoha... come closer... I want you. Now."

Nanoha smiled possessively as she leaned down for a kiss. She paused just an inch from executing it. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long."

_I know that you've been waiting for it  
I'm waiting too  
In my imagination I'd be all up on you  
I know you got that fever for me  
Hundred and two  
And boy I know I feel the same  
My temperature's through the roof  
_

"Na...no...ha!" Fate moaned into Nanoha's mouth, squirming slightly as Nanoha's touch set her body on fire. "More..."

"So... what were you doing while I was in the shower?" It wasn't quite to par with other things Nanoha could whisper in Fate's ear, but the sensation was enough to send Fate into more-or-less submission. "You were already dressed when you finished your shower... If I find that you were recording this..."

_If there's a camera up in here  
Then it's gonna leave with me  
When I do (I do)  
If there's a camera up in here  
Then I'd best not catch this flick  
On YouTube (YouTube)  
'Cause if you run your mouth and brag  
About this secret rendezvous  
I will hunt you down  
'Cause baby I'm up in my business  
Like a Wendy interview  
But this is private  
Between you and I  
_

Fate moaned without answering, touching blindly in a vague attempt to reciprocate what she was feeling. Feeling unnecessarily distracted, Nanoha took both her hands and pinned them above their heads. Nanoha's voice had become husky by the time she said, "Let me touch you first. Tell me what you want, tell me what you like. I'm yours to do your bidding tonight."

After a few haggard breaths, Fate gulped and managed to make her request.

_Touch my body  
Put me on the floor  
Wrestle me around  
Play with me some more  
Touch my body  
Throw me on the bed  
I just wanna make you feel  
Like you never did._

_Touch my body  
Let me wrap my thighs  
All around your waist  
Just a little taste  
Touch my body  
Know you love my curves  
Come on and give me what I deserve  
And touch my body.  
_

Nanoha purred as she set her sights on giving Fate the most pleasure she could possibly endure in a single night. "Is that all you want me to do? I can do more too, you know."

Fate struggled between being pinned, trying to kiss Nanoha, and trying to answer her at the same time. Eventually, she ground out an answer she likely would have if she hadn't wanted to touch Nanoha so badly at that moment.

_Boy you can put me on you  
Like a brand new white tee  
I'll hug your body tighter  
Than my favorite jeans  
I want you to caress me  
Like a tropical breeze  
And float away with you  
In the Caribbean Sea  
_

Nanoha sealed her last enduring moan with her own lips, letting the sounds echo back and forth between them as the wave of pleasure engulfed her, leaving her dazed for several moments. Nanoha was casually toying with her as she "patiently" waited for Fate to pay her dues.

When Fate felt her second wind kick in, she rolled over to claim her spot on top, but was almost deterred by Nanoha's happiness at the turn of events, as if she had planned it as such. "You've been a very bad girl, Nanoha." Fate smiled to show she didn't mean it. "Not letting us do it 'together'... you'll have to be punished."

Nanoha smiled as she looked up at Fate. "And what are you going to do to me?"

"What am I going to do?" Fate leaned down. "I'm going to..."

_Imma treat you like a teddy bear  
You won't wanna go nowhere  
In the lap of luxury  
Baby just turn to me  
You won't want for nothing boy  
I will give you plenty  
Touch my body  
_

"F-Fate! I'm going to-"

Fate kissed Nanoha, whispering urgently, "This time... together!"

Nanoha gasped as a whirlwind of sensations started dancing around her, inside her, everywhere.

_Oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah  
Oh yeah oh yeah  
Oh oh oh oh yeah  
Touch my body..._

Track 09- Colbie Caillat- Bubbly

Nanoha woke up first. The pinkness of the ceiling was the first thing that caught her attention, but the warmth of the body beside her quickly made her alert. What had happened tonight? She didn't have a headache or hangover, but then again, her hangovers had always been fairly mild. But who then, had she gone to bed with?

A careful rolling over answered her question. Her heart immediately calmed upon seeing Fate's sleeping face. She reached out a hand to caress Fate's cheek, stopping when she noticed what could only be a hickey on her neck.

Looking closer, Nanoha came to the startling revelation that Fate hadn't worn anything to bed. Come to think of it, she was feeling rather naked herself as well.

Nanoha blushed. As she became more and more awake, she remembered. The wedding, the limo ride, arriving at the posh love hotel... and then... and then... Nanoha moaned in embarrassment. A single thought broke through, however.

Had it been one sided?

_Will you count me in?_

Nanoha calmed after a while and stayed up, simply watching Fate breath in and out. She was so beautiful, so gentle, too. Nanoha knew she wasn't the only one that loved Fate, but it filled her heart with warmth to know that she was the only one that Fate loved. It was an odd warmth, and as she dwelled on it, she felt it grow. Something hard to describe and yet... before she knew it...

_I've been awake for a while now  
you've got me feelin like a child now  
cause every time I see your bubbly face  
I get the tinglies in a silly place  
_

Nanoha laughed softly, but even that was enough to wake the only half-asleep Fate. She apologized, even as she giggled at the sensations flowing through her body. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Nano...ha?" Fate was still tired, but when she saw Nanoha smiling at her, she smiled too. Shifting closer, Fate closed her eyes again. "I love you, Nanoha."

Nanoha giggled, knowing just how Fate felt. Moving her arms to cuddle comfortably, Nanoha whispered, "I love you, too."

They enjoyed a peaceful silence.

"Nanoha?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Do you feel something funny? Like being tickled from the inside in a way that just makes you want to keep smiling?"

Nanoha grinned. "I feel it. It's like..."

_It starts in my toes  
and I crinkle my nose  
where ever it goes I always know  
that you make me smile  
please stay for a while now  
just take your time  
where ever you go  
_

Fate giggled. "I won't go anywhere if you don't."

"Is that a promise?"

"I do promise... as your new wife."

Both of them started giggling at that, so hyped on a gentle euphoria were they upon

waking up.

"It's raining." Nanoha stated the obvious as she heard the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the window.

Fate smiled and hugged Nanoha more. "It's okay. We can stay in here. As long as I'm with you..."

_The rain is fallin' on my window pane  
but we are hidin' in a safer place  
under covers stayin' dry (safe) and warm  
you give me feelin's that I adore  
_

Perhps an hour later, Fate looked at the clock and was about to mention it to Nanoha, but when she met Nanoha's eyes, that bubbly feeling hit her again. She didn't want to do anything today.

"You want to say something, don't you?" Nanoha kissed Fate's ear. "Go on, I'm listening."

Fate sighed softly.

_What am I gonna say  
when you make me feel this way  
I just...mmmmmm_

_  
It starts in my toes  
make me crinkle my nose  
where ever it goes  
I always know  
that you make me smile  
please stay for a while now  
just take your time  
where ever you go  
_

"Are you cold?" When Fate didn't say anything, Nanoha began to draw her own conclusions. She pulled Fate closer, even wrapping a still unclothed leg over hers. With the blanket tucked near their shoulders, Nanoha looked into Fate's eyes and asked gently, "Is this better?"

Fate smiled up at her, nodding simply despite knowing that her problem wasn't really that she was cold. She didn't even mind that she was naked at the moment, since she was alone with Nanoha.

_I've been asleep for a while now  
You tucked me in just like a child now  
Cause every time you hold me in your arms  
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth  
_

"We should get up soon." Nanoha smiled, as if knowing just what she was thinking.

Fate murmured, "I don't want to."

"But if we don't get up... we won't get to experience the rest of our honeymoon." Nanoha kissed her nose. "Do you want that?"

Fate smiled back as more bubbly warmth filled her heart. "I only want you."

_It starts in my soul  
And I lose all control  
When you kiss my nose  
The feelin shows  
Cause you make me smile  
Baby just take your time now  
Holdin me tight  
_

Perhaps two hours after Nanoha had first woken up, she leaned forward and kissed Fate's ear. Knowing the blonde had already fallen back asleep, Nanoha didn't make any announcements before unraveling her limbs from Fate's and tiptoeing out of bed. When she heard a door close, Fate shifted in her sleep, but there was no worry in her face.

_Where ever, where ever, where ever you go  
Where ever, where ever, where ever you go  
Where ever you go, I'll always know  
Cause you make me smile here, just for a while_

A/N: :3 Sappy mornings... whee! Two down, five to go! .;;; And don't worry about the backlog. If you think of anything, please feel free to mention it. I'll save them for a rainy day. :3 That said... Cue another random Shard Card name-dropping! :O!


	6. Track 11 and 12

A/N: Update! One of the songs I hadn't filtered yet before the last chapter is being taken off, and I just finished writing the one for Breathless, which is a direct send over from Shard Card (yes, plug ins now with Neon Flashers). That leaves three others. Leona Lewis- First time I ever saw your face (a short piece), Something with Numbers- Stay with me bright eyes, and Kenny Loggins- Highway to the Danger Zone (revised request). Let's see... which one to go with Breathless...

Edit: And why didn't anyone tell me the last two tracks were mislabeled? . (last chapter was 9 and 10)

Track 11- Shayne Ward- Breathless (censored version)

"You won't even give me a hint?"

"Nope." Fate smiled as she finished helping Nanoha to her seat at the table, where a full breakfast was already laid out. "Just sit down and eat and enjoy it for all it's worth."

"Happy Birthday, Nanoha-mama!"

Nanoha blinked and looked over at Vivio. "Sweetie, my birthday already passed this year."

"Oh. It did?"

"Yes, remember? We had everyone over here, there was a nice little party... Strawberry cake..."

"Ooh, I remember! Oh." Vivio looked down at her omelette and then over at Fate, who had a patient but slightly annoyed smile on her face. "Then what's this for?"

Nanoha frowned reprovingly, though she was just disappointed she couldn't get the truth out of Vivio. "You didn't even tell Vivio?"

Fate grinned at this, knowing what Nanoha had been counting on. "Nope. It's just a little thing from me to you."

Nanoha pouted. "But it's not a special day or anything. I feel bad, wondering what you're thinking. And if I should return the favor..."

Fate shook her head quickly. "Oh, no, please, you certainly shouldn't feel like you have to. Besides, you cook breakfast and lunch for us every day. It's the least I could do. Now eat up before it gets cold."

"Oh all right... I'll figure out your little game before the day's over though, Fate-chan."

Fate smiled daringly. "You want to bet on that?"

"You're that confident?"

"Sword of Ether on the line confident."

"But you only have one!"

"So do you."

Nanoha made a combination between pursing her lips and pouting and eventually nodded. "All right. Game on."

Vivio looked between her parents as Nanoha began eating in earnest. Deciding that they were discussing 'adult-stuff' again, she went back to her food, which was actually very good. Fate-mama made a killer omelette.

Later that day, Nanoha walked over to her desk to pick up some papers and had nearly walked away again before something caught her eye. Backtracking, she took a second look at her desktop and saw the bouquet of red and white roses with a single lily in the middle of it all. Picking up the card, she flipped it open and read, "9 Roses, 1 Lily. I dare you to love me... forever."

Nanoha smiled as she leaned against the edge of the desk, the papers she came to get all but forgotten as she turned the card over in her hand, looking for more words. There were none, but she didn't need a signature to know Fate's handwriting. She looked at her ring finger, smiling more as she saw the light shine off of her new ring. It was as beautiful as when Fate had given it to her, and she still had yet to have enough of showing it off. She never bothered asking how much it was, since it was obviously either not enough to put a dent in the budget for paying bills, or she had been saving up for a very long time.

"Takamachi-san!"

Nanoha looked up and responded to the call before quickly kissing the card and putting it back where she had found it. Then, papers in hand, she joined her colleague, even while thoughts of her now-official fiancée were on her mind.

Over the course of the day, Nanoha became subject to a free meal at the cafeteria, a pair of kissing teddy bears, and about five denials from Fate that she had guessed the reason. Nanoha was about to give up all hope when she hit upon an idea.

Nanoha shook her head and continued walking to their residence. It couldn't be that simple. _No one_ lavished a person with this much attention just for _that_.

"Fate-chan, I'm home!" Nanoha looked around as she turned on the entrance light. How odd, she was fairly certain that Fate got off work at least an hour before she did today. "Fate? Are you here?"

"Ah, Nanoha! I'm on the balcony. Come up!"

_'What is she doing on the balcony...?'_ Deciding that she might as well go along with it, she set her things down in the kitchen, taking the lily from her earlier bouquet and setting it in its own vase on the coffee table. Then, taking the teddy bears up with her to the balcony, she sneaked up on Fate, who was enjoying the breeze. A half-emptied glass of wine lay forgotten on the small table.

Nanoha wrapped her arms around Fate, joining the two bears in front of Fate with a loud kissing sound effect. "I love you, Fate. Thank you for today."

Fate smiled as she shifted her arms to better touch Nanoha. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Will you tell me why now?"

"Giving up the sword, are you?"

"Bah, it's just a sword. I'll win another one eventually. I just want to know now."

"But the day's not over yet."

Nanoha let out a noise of exasperation. "There's more?"

"Only a little more. I'll tell you while you join me for dinner?"

Nanoha frowned. She was just in the kitchen and she hadn't seen any sign of a meal... "Where?"

"Right here."

Fate broke away from Nanoha and waved her hand, commanding Bardiche to lift the temperature-stabilizing invisibility shield. The table that Nanoha had thought otherwise abandoned was now decked out with a candlelit dinner for two. Nanoha looked at it all with awe. "Fate-chan..."

"Come sit." Fate pulled back a chair for Nanoha, waiting until she let herself be seated before going around to the other side of the table. "Before you ask, Vivio is with Tomoyo-san and Sakura-san for the night."

Nanoha nodded slightly, not wanting to admit that it had yet to occur to her to wonder. A few words of grace were said before they both started eating. Eventually, if only to break the silence, Nanoha murmured, "It's hard to believe that it's been four days since Tomoyo regained consciousness."

Fate smiled. "They're bearing with it well. Tomoyo-san has, unfortunately, not yet been able to show signs of remembering anything about them beyond this last week. Sakura-san has accepted this and..."

"Has she agreed to go on another mission?"

Fate nodded. "I only heard of it from Hayate earlier today during lunch. Sakura-san requested that in exchange for her leaving on the next available mission, everyone who stayed behind would do their best when they could to make sure that Tomoyo-san was well taken care of during that time."

"We would have done that regardless." Nanoha closed her eyes in pleasure as she took a bite of a sauce-saturated steak. "I love it when you cook fancy, Fate-chan."

Fate chuckled. "This isn't fancy. If you want to see fancy, just wait until I cook a joint-session with Lindy-san."

Nanoha purred. "I think I may get fat if you indulged me with too many of those meals, Fate-chan."

Fate smiled. "Even if you gained a little weight, you would still be the most beautiful woman in my life."

At that, Nanoha laughed and changed the subject. "Will you tell me now? What is all this for, anyway?"

Fate only continued to smile. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes! I've been telling you that for I don't know how long."

Fate chuckled. "Listen to my song first and if you still don't understand, I'll tell you."

"Song?"

"Bardiche." Fate smiled as she heard the music start to play from invisible speakers. After a few moments, she began to sing along to the beat, her eyes never leaving the awed expression displayed on Nanoha's face.

_If our love was a fairy tale  
I would charge in and rescue you  
On a yacht baby we would sail  
To an island where we'd say I do_

_And if we had babies they would look like you  
It'd be so beautiful if that came true  
You don't even know how very special you are_

_Chorus_

_You leave me breathless  
You're everything good in my life  
You leave me breathless  
I still can't believe that you're mine  
You just walked out of one of my dreams  
So beautiful you're leaving me  
Breathless_

_And if our love was a story book  
We would meet on the very first page  
The last chapter would be about  
How I'm thankful for the life we've made_

_And if we had babies they would have your eyes  
I would fall deeper watching you give life  
You don't even know how very special you are_

_You must have been sent from heaven to earth to change me  
You're like an angel  
The thing that I feel is stronger than love believe me  
You're something special  
I only hope that I'll one day deserve what you've given me  
But all I can do is try  
Every day of my life_

_You leave me breathless  
You're everything good in my life  
You leave me breathless  
I still can't believe that you're mine  
You just walked out of one of my dreams  
So beautiful you're leaving me  
Breathless  
Breathless_

Fate waited a few minutes, and then laughed. "Still nothing?"

Nanoha was struggling to control the flush that had filtered out throughout the song, but the confusion was still apparent. "Tell me? Please?"

Fate sighed and walked over, swiveling Nanoha's chair around so that she could lean over with her hands braced on the armrests. With her lips mere centimeters from Nanoha's, she whispered, "Because I wanted to thank you for being mine. Because I love how you leave me breathless. Because... Just because I can. Is that a good enough reason?"

Nanoha frowned. "So it's not an obscure holiday?"

"No."

"I didn't forget an anniversary of some sort?"

"No."

"You just chose a random day?"

"N- No, it's not random."

Nanoha huffed. "Then what- MMmm..."

Fate smiled into the kiss. "Nanoha... I planned all this weeks in advance and I've been storing it for a very special day, but you beat me to it. I didn't think it proper to waste my efforts, so I did it as soon as I could. This... this was censored."

Nanoha blinked and then shrunk in on herself as comprehension dawned. She looked at her ring, glimmering in the candelight. "Do you want me to censored?"

Fate laughed. "No, no, censor. I just wanted a chance to spoil you, Nanoha. Forgive me?"

"Forgive you? For what? I had a really nice day, felt aptly pampered and loved... what would I need to forgive you for?"

"For not being able to pamper you _every_ day."

Nanoha laughed. "Oh, don't worry. I would have stopped you if you tried to do it every day. Repetition makes it less special after all."

"You want to know something that I don't think ever gets old no matter how many times it's repeated?"

Nanoha smiled. "What?"

"This." Fate leaned in for another kiss, closing her eyes as she saw Nanoha do the same.

Nanoha purred, "You're right; I don't think that will ever get old."

-

Track 12- Leona Lewis- The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face

"What is it?"

"What's what?"

Fate walked over to Nanoha and sat beside her on the bed. "You were laughing."

"No, I wasn't."

"Look at you, you still are!" Fate gently tapped her nose. "I can see it in your eyes. What are you thinking about?"

Nanoha shook her head, scrambling to get under the sheets before Fate found out. Not that she was thinking anything bad, but it was a cold night.

As expected, Fate followed close behind, all too willing to try to tickle the answer out of her. When Nanoha finally surrendered, she took a few moments to gather her breath before rubbing Fate's back affectionately. As their eyes met, Nanoha answered, "I was just thinking about how far we've come since we met."

Fate frowned. "That made you laugh?"

"No, what made me laugh was that I noticed that your nightgown was caught in your underwear after you left the bathroom. I didn't want to say anything though."

Nanoha giggled as Fate yelped and shifted quickly underneath the covers to correct this oversight. Nanoha kissed away the pout that resulted. "I still love you, Fate."

"I know." Fate looked away, embarrassed all the same. She murmured, "But you're right. We've come a long way together. And I'm glad it was with you."

Nanoha smiled and closed her eyes. "I remember, when I first saw you, I thought..."

_The first time ever I saw your face  
I thought the sun rose in your eyes  
And the moon and the stars  
were the gifts you gave  
To the dark and the empty skies my love  
_

Fate giggled. "You did not! You're being corny, Nanoha."

"You know you love it."

Fate didn't hide her smile.

Nanoha kissed her again, before whispering, "And the first time..."

_The first time ever I kissed your mouth  
I felt the earth move in my hand  
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird  
That was there at my command my love  
_

"Let's sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Fate shifted to get more comfortable.

Nanoha nodded. She closed her eyes even as her lips mouthed the words to a song she didn't know.

_The first time ever I lay with you  
I felt your heart so close to mine  
and I knew our joy would fill the Earth  
and last till the end of time  
my love  
The first time ever I saw your face_

A/N: It's amazing how much fun I've been having with this. Well, two more to go. Any more requests? Oh, and the non-"censored" version is in shard card ch 31. :3 ( more shameless advertising)


	7. Track 13 and 14

A/N: I know I keep repeating it here, but this is the last time for these two! Something with Numbers- Stay with me bright eyes, and Kenny Loggins- Highway to the Danger Zone (revised request). No new requests? Well all right then...

Edit: Neither of these songs are very long. :\ -upgrades the songfics-

Long-forgotten-disclaimer: I own nothing that has someone else's name on it. Except the shirt I'm wearing. Brand label clothes don't count.

Track 13- Kenny Loggins- Danger Zone

Nanoha crossed her legs one way, and a few moments later, crossed it the other way.

"Takamachi-sensei, are you all right?"

Nanoha smiled at her young trainee. "I'm fine, thank you. You still have drills to complete, don't you?"

"Ah, I just finished and was wondering what I should do now."

Nanoha looked around and then pointed over at one of the trainees. "He looks like he could use some help. Do you think you can...?"

"Certainly." The trainee saluted and was about to head over when she paused and looked back. "Takamachi-sensei, you're starting to look very flushed. You should take care of yourself. We would hate to have a substitute, should you get sick."

Nanoha laughed, ignoring the way her stomach flip-flopped at the stimulus. "Thank you for your concern. Perhaps I will end a little earlier today."

After the trainee left, Nanoha sighed and stood up, thinking that walking around might soothe her aches a bit. It didn't. In fact, it aggravated them. Nanoha quickly sat down again. "I wonder if it was something I ate?"

She checked the time and noted that the trainees were supposed to work for two more hours after they finished their warm-ups. If it kept going at this rate, she wouldn't even be able to last another half hour.

"Nanoha."

Nanoha looked up and smiled upon seeing Vita. "Vita..."

"Go see Shamal. I'll handle these brats."

Nanoha frowned. "Are you sure? I think I can..."

Vita put a hand on Nanoha's cheek. "You're starting to burn up. Let Shamal check on you. If you feel better, you can come back, but not before then. We don't need the instructor getting all her trainee babies sick in one go."

At that, Nanoha smiled and nodded. Standing up more carefully this time, she acquiesced, "All right. I'll see you later then. Thank you."

Vita nodded simply, watching Nanoha leave the premises before turning to the floor littered with trainees. "All right you military brats! Line up! It's Vita fun-fun time!"

The marks of dread were so prevalent, the whole room seemed to turn blue and purple.

--

"I'm what?"

Shamal smiled, checking the monitors. "It seems that the eighth time's the charm. Congratulations, Nanoha-san. In nine months, you will officially be a proud mother."

Nanoha stifled a whimper of barely contained excitement. She could feel the tears around her eyes. "I'm going to be... to be... and it's Fate's, right? Right?"

Shamal raised an eyebrow. "Unless you've been doing something unorthodox with someone else?"

Nanoha shook her head vigorously. The motion of which caused her stomach to reject her lunch, the remains of which Shamal deftly caught with a disposable container. After Nanoha settled and cleaned her face, she leaned back with a sigh. "I have to let Fate know right away... Raging Heart. Connect with Fate and- Ah!"

Nanoha hissed and winced as she felt a jabbing pain between her legs.

Shamal leaped on it. "What is it? What's wrong?" Even as she asked this, she was already preparing to find out herself.

"I don't know... it just suddenly started hurting... no, it's more like a throbbing ache..."

"Nanoha?"

Despite hearing Fate's voice as the connection went through, Nanoha's eyes were screwed shut as she concentrated on breathing properly. "Shamal... it hurts... ahh! Don't touch there..."

Fate blinked rapidly. "N-Nanoha?"

Shamal frowned, shifting her gloved hand around. "Is it... here?"

"AH! Yes, yes, right there!" Nanoha's broken breathing muffled her plea for Shamal to stop touching it now that she knew.

Shamal smiled. "There, there, that's perfectly normal. You're just becoming more sensitive. Oh, hello, Fate-san."

Nanoha opened her eyes and saw Fate discomfited look. She smiled through a sheen of sweat. "F-Fate..."

The screen closed. Raging Heart announced, "Line disconnected from the other side."

"Fate...?" Nanoha looked at the empty air where the screen had been and then at Shamal, who was throwing away her gloves and washing her hands for good measure. She groaned, realizing what Fate must have assumed. "Shamal..."

"Hmm?"

"I'm too tired to chase her right now. Can you..."

"Hmm... Signum might be up to it. Fate-san likes to jump to conclusions, doesn't she?"

Nanoha sighed. "She probably gets it from me. Which is how I understand what she must have assumed. Signum's fine. Can you get her to find Fate for me and take her back to our residence? I'll... I'll spend the rest of the day there."

"That's probably for the rest." Shamal opened a cupboard and pulled out a few packs of tablets. Handing them to Nanoha, she instructed, "Take these twice a day, one in the morning and one in the evening, with meals or at least water. They should quiet down the symptoms so that you can rest easy. As for instructing, I think it would be best to leave it to Vita-chan until you're more used to this, and even then, no more mock battles. Instruct from the sidelines, all right?"

Nanoha smiled. "All right. I'll do as you say. I don't want anything to go wrong this time after all." She rubbed her lower abdomen affectionately.

"Make sure you come by tomorrow for an official check-up, all right?"

"Right."

While Shamal called up Signum, Nanoha was left with the precarious task of standing up. She still felt a little dizzy, but she could probably handle it.

By the time Shamal finished and was helping her to the door, Nanoha had gotten the hang of walking again. She smiled at Shamal. "I'll be fine by myself from here. Thank you."

"If you're sure... contact me if anything comes up that worries you, all right?"

Nanoha nodded, waving lightly just before she started walking down the hallway. After a few minutes, Nanoha tried to contact Fate again, and was unsurprised when she was locked out. She left a message all the same, telling Fate that it was a misunderstanding and asking her to meet her at home.

-

"Sir, this route is not advisable. Motorcycle hours are not in sync with real time."

"Oh shut it. It's lunch break at least." Fate swung one leg over the seat of her bike and put the key in the ignition. Since last time, she learned that going for a drive did wonders for her mood, even without the alcohol. "Let's ride."

Remembering the look on Nanoha's face as she started up the engine, Fate accidentally popped a wheelie and rode on her back wheel for a good several yards before landing with a sound thump.

_Revvin' up your engine  
Listen to her howlin' roar  
Metal under tension  
Beggin' you to touch and go  
_

Why had Nanoha gone that way? Was she suddenly so inadequate that Nanoha had to brazenly call her while she was with _Shamal_ of all people? And here they had been married for a good three years now... What had gone wrong?

_Highway to the Danger Zone  
Ride into the Danger Zone  
_

Fate grit her teeth and sped up as she rode up the ramp to the highway. This couldn't be happening. They were doing so well! And yet... and yet... Nanoha apparently didn't think the same way. Shamal had said something about Nanoha becoming more sensitive... had she really not been enough to sate her? Was her... technique... not enough to send Nanoha over the edge anymore?

When _was_ the last time they had tried doing it? Vivio had gotten into her teenage rebellion years and they were too tired after dealing with her every night to do anything together.

But to go to Shamal... in broad daylight no less...

Fate revved the engine and started weaving inbetween the light traffic. No. This could not go on. Nanoha was _hers_ and hers alone. Maybe if Fate learned some new tricks... Nanoha would be satisfied again...

And she knew just the person to teach her.

_  
Headin' into twilight  
Spreadin' out her wings tonight  
She got you jumpin' off the track  
And shovin' into overdrive  
_

Sometime later, she arrived at a familiar apartment complex and parked her bike in a designated area. With a casual air, she walked over and pressed the intercom. "Signum, you home?"

The reply came almost immediately. "I've been waiting for you, come on up."

Fate frowned, wondering why Signum had been waiting for her, but she opened the door and went up anyway. Eventually, she came to Signum's door and rang the doorbell. It opened up and she was forcefully pulled inside, the door slamming shut after her.

"I heard you ran out on her again?"

Fate protested, "I didn't run out on anybody!" She looked at the hands securing to the door by their proximity to her face alone.

Signum smirked. "Today's my day off you know. My one day off this month. And what do I get to do? Tell you to go on home."

Fate squirmed, but Signum held her deftly in place. "You... you were contacted?"

"By Shamal." She smiled. "She told me to pass on to you that what you saw was a misunderstanding. But I'm sure you figured that out?"  
"How can something like that be a misunderstanding? I clearly saw-"

"Shamal is a doctor, Testerossa. And a committed woman on top of that. She wouldn't go for _your_ woman."

Fate's resolve faltered. "B-but... I... saw..."

"Nanoha has some news for you, Testerossa. Shamal told me Nanoha wants to meet you at home. So go already."

"You... you won't let me..."

Signum took a couple of steps back, relaxing her stance. "I just wanted to make sure you heard me."

Fate looked down at the floor for several seconds before she looked up again. "Signum."

"Testerossa."

Fate bit her lower lip before pushing forward. It was now or never. "Even if it was a false alarm. Even if it's okay... I have a favor to ask of you."

Signum raised an eyebrow. "You can ask, but I make no promises."

"Will you... will you tell me a way I can... I can please Nanoha more?"

"Please her...?" Signum chuckled from low in her throat as she realized what Fate was asking. "You want to learn from _me_? You sure about that?"

Fate nodded. "You're... You're the only one I can trust to ask about this..."

Signum chuckled a little more. "All right. But just a quick lesson. You have to get home soon, and Shamal will be coming home soon too."

Fate nodded, stepping forward resolutely. "I'm ready."

Signum grabbed Fate's hand and used it to spin her into her chest, as if they were dancing. "Then I'll take you..."

_Highway to the Danger Zone  
I'll take you  
Right into the Danger Zone  
_

"S...Signum..."

"Shh..." Signum moved her hand carefully, quickening when Fate jerked. "Once she gets going, make your pattern unpredictable. Slow, fast, a long stroke there, short here... mix it up... she wants to get up as high as she can go... and she wants you to take her there. Remember that."

"Nnnh..."

"Keep her going... Even if you get tired, keep her going all the way..."

_  
You'll never say hello to you  
Until you get it on the red line overload  
You'll never know what you can do  
Until you get it up as high as you can go  
_

"Don't concentrate on just one spot either. Her thighs..." Fate gasped and inhaled in the same instant as Signum's free hand raked nails along the inside of her thigh. "Along the edges... surround the area where she wants it most... let her know it's coming... make her moan in anticipation... make her moan for you..."

Fate let out a long, soft moan.

_Out along the edges  
Always where I burn to be  
The further on the edge  
The hotter the intensity  
_

Signum threw a blanket over Fate as she heard the apartment door unlock. She smirked at the exhausted woman who was still trying to regain her breath. "Do that, and she'll be putty in your hands before you even start."

Fate moaned haphazardly as her answer.

"Go home, Testerossa. Don't put my time to waste." Signum left the bedroom and smiled as she gave Shamal a greeting hug and kiss. "Welcome back."

"I'm home." Shamal smiled. "Did you find Fate-san?"

"She found me."

"Oh?" Shamal sniffed Signum's shirt and frowned. "You've been using _that_ again, haven't you?"

"Do you hate it?" Signum went to the kitchen to wash her hands.

"No... it's just... sticky." Shamal went to the bedroom and had to smile at the sight. "Poor girl. No one can resist you, can they?"

Signum smiled as she looked over Shamal's shoulder at the sleeping Fate. "She was already tired and stressed out. An easy target. I'll carry her back home in a little bit."

_Highway to the Danger Zone  
Gonna take you  
Right into the Danger Zone  
_

Shamal sighed as she opened the balcony door to let Signum through carrying the sleeping Fate. "You would think someone knocked her out at this rate. Be careful flying."

"I know. Levantine!" Taking flight, Signum sent one last smile back to Shamal before flying off.

Shamal smiled as she watched Signum fly. "I'll have to remember to ask her for a massage myself when she gets back."

Shaking her head, Shamal went back inside, closing but not locking the door behind her.

_Highway to the Danger Zone_

Track 14- Something With Numbers- Stay With Me Bright Eyes (Soo long -..-;;)

_If you were the melody, then I would be the song;  
Together we would make everybody sing along,  
Whistling and a singing through the halls and through the streets  
Everybody's dancing and there moving to the beat.  
_

Fate stirred slightly upon hearing a melody, but she wasn't sure if it was enough to wake up for, so she continued to pretend to sleep. She felt a cool hand brush against her forehead, and smiled at the sensation. It was Nanoha's hand.

_Baby, don't go now  
Don't go now  
Don't go now  
'Cause I need you right here.  
I'll give away anything and everything for this.  
_

She loved it when Nanoha sang. If there was anything that made her feel loved, that had to be one of those things high up there. Especially because it was Nanoha.

_If I was a shadow, then you would be the sun,  
Together we would always be cause you the only one.  
If I was a poem then you would be the pain,  
Together we would need each other like a rose needs rain.  
Baby, don't go now  
Don't go now  
Don't go now  
'Cause i need you right here  
I'll give away anything and everything for this.  
_

Fate couldn't hold it in. She giggled. Nanoha paused in her singing to ask, "Fate-chan? Are you awake?"

"Mm." Fate opened one eye, smiling. "I like it when you sing."

"Do you?" Nanoha smiled, already knowing this information.

_Stay with me bright eyes, stay with me darling,  
And never go,  
I'll never get over you.  
_

"Fate-chan, about before... it was a misunderstanding. I was just getting a check-up at the clinic."

Fate frowned, remembering what had made her run off in the first place. "What were you getting a check-up for? Are you all right? Do you not feel well?" She started to sit up, worry filtering in.

"I'm fine. I took medicine earlier, so I should act fine too. Fate..." Nanoha paused, but she was smiling all the while. "I'm... I'm pregnant."

In Fate's state of shock, it filtered in that the music was coming from Raging Heart, and Nanoha had only been singing along with it. It had been soft, but she could hear it now in the silence that followed.

_If I was the magic, then you would be the trick;  
Together we would challenge what everybody thinks_

_If I was the villain then I would steal your heart,  
I would take it everywhere with me in a jar  
_

"Nanoha!" Fate broke out of her trance with a wide smile and hugged her wife tightly. "I can't believe it... it's really going to happen this time?"

"Mmhmm. I think so." Nanoha smiled as she rubbed Fate's back. "Do you want to come with me tomorrow for my first 'official' check-up?"

"Of course!" When Fate pulled back, Nanoha could see that she was positively _glowing_ with pride. "We have to start making plans! Did you tell Vivio yet? Hayate? Signum? Vita? Who knows? Can we hold a baby shower?"

Nanoha laughed with infected glee. "Fate! This is just the beginning. We can't have a baby shower _now_. I'm... I'm not even showing yet!"

Fate giggled, suddenly realizing how silly she must have been. "Yeah... you're right... We should at least wait until we know if it's a boy or a girl so we can color coordinate the decorations properly."

"Fate!" Nanoha giggled. After a few moments, she sobered and looked into Fate's eyes. "Fate... I'm going to need you here with me, all right?"

Fate nodded. "I wouldn't be anywhere else."

"That means... if something like today happens again... these careless misunderstandings... you can't just run off. We have to go through these things together, okay?"

Fate nodded again. "I'm sorry. For running off like that."

Nanoha shook her head. "I probably would have done the same. But promise? Now would be the worst time to separate, Fate. I want to raise this child with you."

"I do too."

"So..."

_  
Baby,  
Don't go now  
Don't go now  
Don't go now  
'Cause I need you right here,  
I'll give away anything and everything for this_

_Stay with me bright eyes, stay with me darling,  
And never go  
I'll never get over you.  
_

Fate laughed pleasantly as she leaned against Nanoha, their fingers intertwined. "I feel delirious?"

"Delirious?"

"With happiness. It feels like..."_  
_

_Feels like I'm drowning in the rain,  
And if I shout aloud,  
You won't even hear me now._

_Stay with me bright eyes, stay with me darling  
And never go  
I'll never get over you._

"Fate... I love you."

"I love you, too. Forever always."

A/N: :O I'm outta requests! OMGZ Noooessss. :3 How many songs are normally in an album? Hmm... Oh well. One more request from a lucky reviewer, and then I'll end it with an oldie I happen to like. BUT!

**WARNING: The Last Track will not be a happy one, so stop here and go read Shard Card! RAWR!**

(But drop a review before you go) Please and thank you!


	8. Track 15, 16, 17 END

--

A/N: Let's see... songs received:

1. Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit"

2. Colbie Calliat's Capri

3. Heaven by DJ sammy

4. Natasha Bedingfield's Pocketful of sunshine

And then there's mine, Martina's McBride's In My Daughter's Eyes. Which song will precede mine? Ooh, hard pick, hard pick. Because I've never seen a 16 track CD, I'll be picking two. Because the point of this fic was to be a challenge for me, I'll go with Choice 1 for that reason alone. Fortunately, I'm creative, and I can work with a song that would defy most logic in reality. And I think after my song, I'll add Choice 3 for a bittersweet end. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Disclaimer: The works produced here are not mine to own; I am merely advertising random songs while advertising my own work, Shard Card. Read it today in an anime section near you!

WARNING: Cursing ahead. Not that that would phase you.

Track 15- Jefferson Airplane- White Rabbit

"Where is she, dammit!" There were clangs and clashes as Nanoha tried to toss and turn against the restraints. "I'll kill you if you're trying to keep her from me!"

"Nanoha, calm down!" Hayate did her best to both restrain and comfort the woman. "Fate is on her way. You're already earlier than scheduled; if you move around like this-"

"I don't. Fucking. _Care._ I want Fate here _now_!"

Yuuno came hurrying into the room. "Nanoha, I got you some ice! They said it's better for you to chew on-"

Nanoha thrust out her leg and caught Yuuno in the thigh, sending him and the ice chips sprawling. "Ice chips aren't worth a thing. I _said_, get Fate here! Now!"

Hayate whispered something to the nurse, who nodded and went for the doctor, who came in asking, "We have several medications available to make this process more comfortable for you and the baby. Which would you like? We have..."

_One pill makes you larger  
And one pill makes you small  
And the ones that mother gives you  
Don't do anything at all  
Go ask Alice  
When she's ten feet tall  
_

Meanwhile, Fate was not faring much better. She was currently ten minutes away, stuck in traffic. "I could fly faster than these cars are moving at this point." She began to fidget, tapping her finger against the steering wheel. "But if I leave my baby here... who knows what could happen to it... Auto-pilot only works with someone in the car..."

She smiled when the cars started moving again, but frowned when she realized they had only gone all of two feet in the last ten minutes. To make matters worse, she couldn't even pull over because she was jammed in the middle lane.

"Nanoha... wait for me..."

She nearly missed it when the traffic started moving again and she saw her chance to weave through the gaps. It would be narrow but she could do it...

"Sir, incoming call."

"It's Nanoha, isn't it."

"The call is from Rein, sir. But my calculations deduct that it is coming from the vicinity of Raising Heart's master."

Fate took a deep breath and started to speed up in preparation for her test of weaving skills. "Put her through."

"Fate, where are you?"

Fate grit her teeth as she checked the nearest sign. "Still at least seven minutes away, stupid traffic. I think I can cut through though. How's Nanoha?"

"Let's just say she's refusing to deal with anyone but you. And frankly, I have to agree; I think you're the only one who actually received training to deal with her death grip."

Fate winced and smiled sympathetically. "Sorry about that. And I'm not that much better; I still have marks from when she first caught me off guard. I'll be there as soon as I can, okay?"

"Okay. We just gave her some meds, so she's a little quieter right now. I have a feeling her body will fight it off and she'll be just as rowdy in a few minutes though."

Fate cringed along with Hayate as a loud crash was heard from the hospital end. "That sounds like her. Has she been cussing a lot?"

"Horribly. I fear your child's first exposure to Mid-Childan is going to be a Japanese cuss word."

Fate laughed humorlessly. "All right, I have to concentrate on the road. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck and godspeed."

As soon as Hayate disconnected, Fate revved her engines and cut to the left, sped past a truck and cut back to the right, soon cutting through again, back and forth...

The honks came quickly. Fate grumbled, "Oh shut up. My bunny's waiting for me and I'm past the point of stopping out of politeness."

_And if you go chasing rabbits  
And you know you're going to fall  
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar  
Has given you the call  
Recall Alice  
When she was just small  
_

Nanoha groaned as she was hit with another sedative. "What the hell are you feeding me...?"

The doctor patted her arm, which felt numb now, and smiled. "Just hang on a little longer, Nanoha-san."

Nanoha threw her head to the side and saw Fate's picture on the table. She smiled a little, before it occurred to her that the bonafide Fate was not there. "I need to go to the bathroom."

The occupants of the room exchanged looks, the same thought seeming to run through all of their minds. Would Nanoha try to make a break for it and look for Fate?

No, that was crazy. Nanoha was dilated seven centimeters already.

...

Nanoha just might do it.

Nanoha sensed their hesitance like a horse sensed fear. "I said I need to go PI-"

"I'll take you!" Hayate hurriedly stepped forward and everyone took a moment to thank their lucky stars that Hayate was willing to be a martyr for them. "Nurse, could you show me where the bathroom is?"

_When men on the chessboard  
Get up and tell you where to go  
And you've just had some kind of mushroom  
And your mind is moving slow  
Go ask Alice  
I think she'll know  
_

Fate smiled wide as she saw the hospital looming in the distance. "Hold on, Nanoha, I'll be right there!"

"Sir, collision ahead, forced halt initiated."

Fate took matters into her own hands and enlisted the help of her barrier jacket to make her car fly straight off the road for the few seconds needed to soar over the place of collision. She took the jarring landing with only a brief wince, and sped on further.

At least, she tried.

Some sort of liquid had escaped the truck involved in the collision and had made the road slick and slippery. Not expecting it, Fate's wheels skidded when she tried to speed up, and the brief lapse of control sent her sprawling into another car. With her constant refinements, her car should have gotten the better end of the deal, had they not both skid straight into an intersection during a green light.

Fate only felt pain for a few minutes at best.

_"Nanoha... I'm sorry..."_

_When logic and proportion  
Have fallen sloppy dead  
And the White Knight is talking backwards  
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"  
Remember what the dormouse said;  
"FEED YOUR HEAD"_

By the time the baby was ready to be born, Nanoha was far too gone to recognize much of anything, besides perhaps the pain of the contractions that ran into each other one right after the other.

She remembered smiling wide when her new baby girl was passed to her.

And Nanoha remembered asking, "Where's Fate?"

And she remembered everyone looking around, and Hayate acting the martyr and messenger again. "Nanoha... She got into a car accident on her way here."

Nanoha had looked up, disbelieving and not at all sure what to think. "What? Is she okay?"

When no one met her eye, Nanoha knew things had not gone as planned.

"Fate."

"Nanoha?"

"That's what her name will be." Nanoha looked down at her baby girl. "Rather, Umei. That's what we decided before after all."

_'Because Fate will always be by my side. She promised.'_

NOTE: Track 16 and 17 will be pure music, as the lyrics suggest for themselves how things went down.

Track 16- Martina's McBride- In My Daughter's Eyes Nanoha

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero  
I am strong and wise and I know no fear  
But the truth is plain to see  
She was sent to rescue me  
I see who I wanna be  
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal  
Darkness turns to light and the  
world is at peace  
This miracle God gave to me gives me  
strength when I am weak  
I find reason to believe  
In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand  
around my finger  
Oh it puts a smile in my heart  
Everything becomes a little clearer  
I realize what life is all about

It's hangin' on when your heart  
has had enough  
It's giving more when you feel like giving up  
I've seen the light  
It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future  
A reflection of who I am and what will be  
Though she'll grow and someday leave  
Maybe raise a family  
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy  
she made me  
For I'll be there  
In my daughter's eyes

Track 17- DJ Sammy- Heaven Last Track- Nanoha to Fate

Baby you're all that I want.  
When you're lying here in my arms  
I'm finding it hard to believe  
We're in heaven.

Oh, thinking about all our younger years,  
There was only you and me,  
We were young and wild and free.  
Now nothing can take you away from me.  
We've been down that road before,  
But that's over now.  
You keep me coming back for more.

And love is all that I need  
And I found it there in your heart.  
It isn't too hard to see  
We're in heaven.

Now, nothing could change what you mean to me.  
There's a lot that I could say  
But just hold me now,  
Cause our love will light the way.

Now our dreams are coming true.  
Through the good times and the bad  
I'll be standing there by you.

(We're in heaven.)

And love is all that I need  
And I found it there in your heart.  
It isn't too hard to see  
We're in heaven.

A/N: I reached page 51! Thank you for reading this fic, and I dearly hope you read Shard Card to the end. In my defense for the way this ended... well... I won't offer a defense. It's just the way things came out. I tried to keep the fluff up as much as possible! Now I also recommend that you reread Track 01 for added significance. :3


End file.
